


I thought we were Friends

by Sepublic



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: A look into Boscha's head, Angst, Angst and Feels, Boscha is a messed up individual who deserves a lot of the bad things that happen to her, But I also feel bad for her and am interested in her as a character who has the potential to grow, Canon Compliant, Character Analysis, Character Study, Episode: s01e17 Wing It Like Witches, One-Sided Attraction, Speculation, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, post Wing it Like Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:41:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26030572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sepublic/pseuds/Sepublic
Summary: Boscha is an interesting character to me; Like yeah, she’s a shallow jerk and more of a bully than Amity ever was, but I sometimes have to wonder what’s going on in her head? Like, is she OKAY back home…? Her monologue at the beginning of Wing it like Witches makes me wonder if her home-life is great, as does her brief interaction with her mother.This fic explores that! It’s the culmination of my various analyses, posts, and speculation on Boscha’s character, on her relationship with people like Skara and Amity Blight, all with a dash of my own personal speculation and headcanons! It explores Boscha’s childhood, how she became friends with Amity, got into Grudgby… and provides a lens through her eyes, a look into her head on what happened; Especially during Wing it like Witches…! And because I’m a sucker for it, I also added in a little unrequited love!
Relationships: Amity Blight & Boscha, Amity Blight/Boscha, Boscha & Willow Park, Boscha/Skara (The Owl House)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

Boscha’s mother said they were friends.

That was a good thing, right? A mother and daughter should be able to get along, have fun with each other, enjoy one another as individuals!

Boscha’s mom was different than others like her. While others were content to lie to their children’s faces, to treat them as weak and pathetic, like people who were too dumb to figure anything out… Boscha’s mother gave her the benefit of the doubt. Boscha’s mother thought that it was important for a parent to be honest to their child.

So when Boscha’s mother admitted that she and her husband didn’t always get along to Boscha, behind closed doors- Boscha was disappointed, of course! But at least her mother was honest…

For a while, Boscha honestly enjoyed the sensation of being able to interact with her mother. It was like always having a friend at home, and Boscha wanted friends- As many as she could get, ideally! But sometimes it wasn’t exactly easy to make friends, and sometimes Boscha didn’t get other kids, either. This didn’t make a lot of sense to her, though- Surely she was mature!

After all, she enjoyed talking with her mother, as the two sat down to talk about their days… Well, mostly Boscha’s mother did. Back then, Boscha wasn’t one who was much for talking. It was fun hearing her mother gossip about her coworkers, talking about certain rumors here or there, funny incidents! And sometimes it was a lot less fun hearing her mother express her anger and frustration about an apparently inadequate boss, or a salary she felt wasn’t high enough. Once, Boscha’s father had made a mistake, and Boscha’s mother admitted concern about what would happen to the house…

…But it all turned out fine, anyway! And even if Boscha was uncomfortable to hear about these sorts of things, she knew from what her teachers taught her that friends stick with one another, even through the roughest of patches, right?

That was why when Boscha’s mother came home one day and started crying… Boscha dropped the school project she was working on, and came over to comfort her mom. When her mom asked her for a hug, Boscha always made sure to provide it after what must’ve been a long, hard day at work!

…Although, Boscha sometimes had to wonder what her father was up to. He wasn’t gone, not necessarily… But mostly he was just sort of there, before going off to do his own thing. If he had much to say about Boscha talking with her mother so much, he didn’t.

I mean, it was pretty easy to see why; He didn’t even _know_. Boscha wasn’t sure if he would’ve cared, either… Regardless, despite the lower points of her relationship with her mother, she still felt like it was good in the end! I mean, what child could say that their own parent trusted them; What kid could say that at such a young age, they were already so dependable, reliable, and responsible! Boscha knew it was important to be humble, but sometimes she felt a little but proud of this fact… When she’d come out after school and her mother would pick her up, she’d look at other kids and their moms, and think smugly to herself about how THEY didn’t have such a close relationship!

Boscha was grateful for what she and her mother had, of course. And she knew that her mother was often a rather lonely, sad person, from her occasional rants now and then; None of them directed at Boscha of course, she was just there to be a reliable shoulder to lean on!

That’s why it was important for her mother to be happy. Her mother was never lucky enough to have parents that were so close to her! So when Boscha’s parents were gone for a whole day, and couldn’t attend Boscha’s school play… It didn’t matter. She got cheered on by other people, and it was always important to make new friends!

When Boscha came home one day and found out her parents were off at some party through a lazily-scrawled note, she tried not to let it bother her. Even though her parents had forgotten to make her dinner, she managed to figure it out… It was a bit painful, messing up a few spells here or there, but she got the general gist. And doing it on her own… Well, it made Boscha feel even better about herself! So when her parents did come back, and they finally had the time to listen, they were proud to see what she learned! Boscha’s mother even took her out for a treat to say sorry AND celebrate…

Boscha’s first friend was a girl named Skara. She’d gotten to tag along at a party with her parents, and all of the decorations were so neat and nice! While her parents went off to do their own thing, Boscha saw another girl like her with gray hair, and the two immediately started talking as the only kids there. Like Boscha’s, Skara’s parents were also rich and apparently important. When both of their parents found out about the friendship, they even started interacting with each other more!

So, Boscha made sure to find out Skara at Hexside, and they began hanging out more. Skara was a nice and sweet girl, and felt dependable to Boscha. When Boscha explained how close she was to HER parents, Skara expressed some envy at the topic. It made Boscha feel a bit good about herself, even if Skara wasn’t in on the benefits as well.

If there was one thing that Boscha liked about Skara, though… It was that she’d _listen_ to her.

Not that she necessarily had a lot to say, being just a child… A _mature_ child, of course, but still. One day at school, Boscha was feeling a little upset… She’d been told the previous night by her mother that she and Boscha’s father had gotten into a bit of a fight. Her mother expressed frustration at how cold and distant he was, and hugged Boscha for quite a while.

Boscha… Boscha felt sad. Not just because her father was being mean to her mother, but also…

…She wasn’t sure how to describe it. But she just felt SAD, in general. She had gone home that night hoping to tell her mother about her day, and maybe ask her about arranging a trip to the fair later that weekend… So that was probably why she was upset, because she never had the chance to ask!

So why did she also feel a little angry?

When the two of them sat at lunch, Skara began talking… She looked sad, and was beginning to cry about a pet that was too rowdy and had to be sent back to the pound. Skara was of course on the verge of tears, and for once…

Boscha didn’t want to listen.

She wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because she already had a lot on HER mind, and just wanted to talk about going to the fair later that weekend. Boscha was kind of tired and bored from the lesson that day, she didn’t really get it like most of her other lessons and that also frustrated her, too. She didn’t want to think about it.

Finally, when Skara began to get louder, Boscha had to speak up;

“I don’t WANT to hear about it, Skara! It’s making me sad!”

And then Skara, looking betrayed, shut up. Boscha felt a twinge of guilt, but also relief… And gratitude towards Skara, for actually listening to her. She was a good friend, wasn’t she?

Instead of the pet that had to be sent away, Boscha and Skara talked about things that were ACTUALLY fun, and later on that day, Boscha explained why she had been so harsh. She was level with Skara, reasoning that telling her about it wasn’t going to change anything, right? So why make Boscha upset, too?

Skara didn’t seem totally convinced, but eventually she nodded in agreement. Boscha was happy and satisfied to hear this. Still, the incident made Boscha wonder- Why couldn’t her parents listen to her more, like this? Or at least her mother… She and Boscha were friends, and Boscha and Skara were friends! Weren’t friends supposed to listen to each other… Not just one person…?

Sometime later, Boscha came home to find that her parents were gone. They’d left behind another note, explaining a sudden change of plans, but basically they wouldn’t be back until the weekend ended. In the meantime, they’d left food behind for her to eat, but…

Boscha took one look at it, and turned up her nose. It was _gross_ stuff, and she was hoping to come home and see her mother make scrambled-eyeballs for her… Or really anything else. But there wasn’t really anything else to eat in the fridge…

Boscha sat alone in the dark for a while, trying to be okay with this. Her parents had a lot on their minds, it was busy having a job and taking care of a kid! She knew her father was always busy trying to impress his superiors, while her mother was always trying to find new friends and impress them! They even had jobs, jobs longer than the school days Boscha had to go through!

They had it tougher than her, right?

They just needed Boscha to be quiet, and to handle herself always, right?

They could _trust_ her… right?

…A few hours later, and Boscha knocked on the door to Skara’s home. Skara looked VERY surprised to see her there, but Boscha explained that her parents were letting her sleepover, and asked if it was okay! Skara was of course elated, and Boscha was immediately let in.

When Skara’s parents later came back and were surprised, Boscha explained that her parents had actually dropped her off. Skara looked a bit confused, but didn’t correct her, as her parents accepted this and made dinner for the girls. It was a good, fun time, and Boscha was relieved to have Skara by her side!

Sure, what she said wasn’t exactly the truth… But her mother had told her all about half-truths, she often used them to Boscha’s father! Besides, her parents could trust in Boscha, and they could also trust in Skara’s parents too. It wasn’t like they were going to be missing Boscha at home, after all- So what difference did it make, whose home she was at in the meantime?

Apparently it DID make a difference. When her parents found out, they were rather upset, and scolded Boscha for this. They told her that it was irresponsible and that she should’ve asked for permission…

…But behind her father’s back, Boscha’s mother admitted that she thought what Boscha did was VERY independent. Maybe Boscha still felt the sting of the previous scolding, but hearing this didn’t make her feel all too happy. It also surprised her that besides the actual scolding… Not much else was done to punish her.

Huh. Did they really not care THAT much?

…Boscha decided not to dwell on it much longer. She didn’t want to let the thought bother her, and instead focused on the fun memories she had, hanging out with Skara! And from that moment on, she mostly did that; Hanging out with Skara, if she could avoid being at home. It’s not that her parents punished Boscha or were mean to her, it was just…

…

One time, Boscha’s mother had made yet another last-second plan. Boscha couldn’t even remember what it was, but it didn’t really matter. Maybe it was just her, or despite all of the times she hung out and listened to her mother, and made sure she was okay… She didn’t seem to get much happier. Neither of them did, really.

She felt bad for thinking it, but Boscha was really wondering what was the point now. She already knew her mother trusted her, but sometimes it felt like she was telling her about sad things, just to make her sad… And, well, Boscha had learned from her own experiences that unless you could do something about it, there was nothing to be gained dwelling on it.

Besides, who cared about things like getting good with THIS particular group of friends, just because they were richer? Boscha didn’t know why her parents were so fixated on getting rich, alongside a dash of fame. It seemed really pointless and meaningless. To them, they said it mattered… And maybe they knew more than Boscha.

But at the same time, she wasn’t seeing them get any happier looking for that sort of thing. And she really couldn’t see what another fancy sofa or couch would do to alleviate the mood.

And while it felt a little arrogant to say such a thing… Well, Boscha thought she was happier than her parents! After all, she had her reliable friend, Skara, and she wasn’t busy chasing such stupid goals. She didn’t want to outright say she was smarter, but she also knew that her parents weren’t all-wise, totally invincible witches either; Her mother had confessed that quite a few times…

Regardless, Boscha knew that her mother recognized HER as being smart, and mature, and independent… So maybe Boscha was allowed to make a few choices for herself, after all! So when her mother brought up the thing, Boscha shook her head.

“But you said you would take me out today, to hang out with Skara at the slayground!”

Her mother winced. “ _I know_ , sweetie, but this is REALLY important…”

Boscha frowned. “You say that about EVERYTHING…” She began to protest. Her mother sighed.

“That’s because a lot of things are important…!” She explained, getting down to Boscha’s level. Boscha wasn’t so sure about that statement.

Ordinarily, she might’ve just let it go, as she always did. Some things weren’t THAT important to her, anyway.

…But if THIS dumb event could be important to her mother, then…

“Well then what about what WE had planned!?” Boscha began to yell. She wasn’t sure why she was beginning to shout, or why she thought it was an okay thing to do. Maybe it was because she could trust her mother to listen, to be her friend and not be mean? “This keeps _happening_ , I’m tired of it!”

Then before she knew it, she began to argue with her mother a bit. It didn’t even register as arguing at first, it was just her mother trying to convince Boscha, and Boscha being doubtful… Was she being disrespectful? No, she wasn’t… It was important for a parent and a child to be honest with each other, after all! Boscha was just doing that- Just being honest! That was the right thing to do, to open about her emotions, right? Because normally she didn’t LIKE to think of them, but at the same time- She DID trust her mother enough, to be open about them… right?

It scared Boscha a little to see her mother get angry. But after a certain point, as Boscha kept yelling more… It began to dawn on her that her mother’s tone wasn’t getting anymore intense. Did she not care? Was she not mad? Why wasn’t she mad, did she understand why Boscha was angry?

Eventually, her mother conceded as her shoulders slumped and she looked to the ceiling and mouthed, _Why me?_ She shook her head and then nodded.

“FINE…!” She sighed, pouting. Her mother crossed her arms. “…Well, can I at least hang out with you and Skara while we’re there?”

Boscha didn’t see what was wrong with the idea. It seemed right that adults should get along with children!

More importantly, she was both surprised but elated, and fixated on the fact that… She’d won? That she’d argued with her mother… And her mother _agreed?_ Did her mom think Boscha really WAS right…?

Boscha always knew she was rather mature for a kid. Sure, she had a long way to grow. But if her parents could trust in her… Then maybe there were times when she was right, and they weren’t!

That only made sense.

Of course, Boscha wasn’t always making the right decisions, because shortly after she regretted agreeing to let her mom hang out with them. Instead of watching from a bench, her mother stood nearby as Boscha and Skara talked about things… Or tried to, at least.

But for some reason, Boscha didn’t feel like talking about the things personal between her and Skara. She knew her mother had secrets with her father, and then secrets with HER… And that most of those secrets didn’t intersect. This was probably a reasonable thing to do.

Still, Skara looked a bit uncomfortable, and Boscha felt bad. She’d made her friend bad… Or her mother did, just by being there. Boscha guessed they were BOTH to blame… But if she could feel bad about this, why wouldn’t her mother? She thought about talking to her mom about this afterwards, but for some reason… She didn’t.

…

Boscha met another girl, called Amity Blight.

Her parents seemed VERY excited to meet the Blights. They made a big deal about how rich and influential they were, and started saying a lot of things that didn’t make too much sense to Boscha. Boscha just shrugged- She guessed she’d have to wait and see in the end, if she could agree on that reverence.

Amity seemed pretty friendly and reasonable enough. They hung out a bit, but mostly Boscha preferred to be with Skara when the three of them were left to do their own things.

One time, they got into a bit of trouble with one another. Boscha had gotten bored exploring the Blight Manor- It was even bigger than her house, sure, but it was also kind of lonely and desolate. Inevitably, she went into Amity’s room and began to play around with her stuff, reasoning that if SHE wasn’t going to… Did it make a difference if Boscha did while she was gone?

To Amity, it apparently did. When Amity caught her, she got upset and tried to take it back from Boscha, which made Boscha angry- Why couldn’t Amity just learn to share, like the teachers at Hexside always did?! I mean, wasn’t she a lot richer than her, couldn’t she afford that sort of thing?

It sparked into an argument, but Skara managed to get them apart. Still, it left a bit of a sour note…

It only worsened another day. They were off doing their own thing, the three of them, when Amity talked about joining the Emperor’s Coven, and talked a big deal about cool they were. Boscha didn’t seem totally convinced- It sounded like just what her parents said, but about the Blights. Were the Blights seriously caught in that same rat race, trying to climb up to more when they were already richer than Boscha OR Skara’s parents?

Amity stuttered a bit, which kind of made Boscha giggle a bit; She guessed she really WAS more mature and smart, after all! This of course made Amity blush, her face going red as a tomato as she explained that to her parents, the Emperor’s Coven meant a lot.

Boscha frowned. “Well, parents don’t know everything?”

This seemed to set Amity off. She seemed legitimately aghast by just the mere suggestion, and shook her head.

“But they’re _adults_ , Boscha! They ALWAYS know what’s best for us!” Amity insisted. Boscha scoffed.

“Well, maybe YOUR parents tell you that,” She began, which made Amity glance away uncertainly. “But MY parents don’t! I know from talking to them that adults aren’t always that smart and make a bunch of mistakes, sometimes they even fight!”

Amity crossed her arms and looked away. “Well, maybe YOUR parents are like that…”

Boscha wasn’t sure why it offended her, but it did. “What’s THAT supposed to mean!?”

Amity shrugged. “…Maybe they’re just not that strong…”

Boscha blinked for a second, and then frowned. “Well, what’s so special about YOUR parents,” She suddenly began to yell, walking up to Amity. Amity backed up a bit in the process. “Maybe YOUR parents like to lie about it to you, but my parents are honest with me! Because they trust me!”

Amity’s eyes widened as her fists curled up. “M-MY parents trust me, too! They say I’ll carry the legacy of the Blight family!”

Boscha rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at Amity. “Well then it sounds like they’re just big fat liars, who can’t even trust their daughter with the truth!”

“Stop it!”

“Liars! LIARS!”

Skara just had to watch as the argument quickly escalated into a full-on fight. Amity was first to strike, and for a moment Boscha was in disbelief that she actually _hit_ her, that she had the AUDACITY to make Boscha feel pain, Boscha, who was more mature and had a better relationship with HER parents, who knew better, who smarter and _better_ than her…

It only seemed fair to fight back. Boscha and Amity were wrestling and kicking, pulling each others’ hair, even biting every now and then while Skara got scared and began to cry. And despite Boscha’s insistence that she was smarter and more mature than Amity…

She REALLY got intense into the fight. She must’ve cared THAT much, huh- About what? Her parents? About _lying_ to herself?

Unsurprisingly all three sets of parents overhead and stormed down. In a blur, Boscha felt herself pried from Amity, who was now crying –though SHE was, too- and yelling at her, looking bright as a tomato.

“I’m SO sorry,” Boscha’s father hastily stammered, prying apart Boscha’s arms as he dragged her away. “We sincerely apologize for our daughter’s impudence, we really mean it!” For a moment, Boscha was in disbelief- Why were THEY apologizing?! What did SHE do wrong…

Why were _they_ apologizing to these random strangers, and not their own daughter!? It suddenly made Boscha madder as she began kicking and crying more. What was even the big deal about these stupid Blights, or about any of this- Why did her parents care so much about ‘status’ or whatever, and kept prioritizing it over their own KID!?

Amity’s mother forced a smile, but it was very cold. “Oh, NO… _We_ apologize,” She insisted, and the whole discussion between the adults looked so _forced_ and fake. Why couldn’t they just be HONEST with each other, wasn’t that what Boscha’s mother taught her- That being truthful and straightforward was important? What was the big deal, why was this happening, this was so DUMB, and…!

Everybody left abrubtly that day, even Skara and her family, despite technically having done nothing wrong. A small part of Boscha hoped it was in support of her… After all, Skara often proved rather reliable to her. Oftentimes, more than _some_ people…

Surely enough, Boscha’s parents made a BIG deal about it, and for once they seemed genuinely upset at Boscha, actually yelling and threatening to ground her, sending Boscha to her room. It made Boscha scream and cry in frustration that night, because of COURSE they didn’t understand her, of course when it came down to it, only Boscha –and hopefully Skara- would vouch for her… While her parents always had other things in mind, was that it?

They didn’t dislike Boscha… But she also didn’t mean that much to them, did she? At least not more than this… DUMB ‘friendship’ with those phony Blights!

Later that morning, when her parents spoke to Boscha again- She got mad and tried to argue with them, asking what was the big deal. As always, her parents explained very thoroughly about how POWERFUL the Blights were, but rather quickly the words turned to mush in Boscha’s head.

The worst part was that Boscha was now being told that she had to apologize for what had happened last night- Even though she did nothing wrong! Even though Amity hit _her_ first!

For once, her mother snapped. “BOSCHA, _it doesn’t matter!_ ” She snarled. The change in mood was so sudden that Boscha briefly flinched for a moment- She had NEVER seen them so intent on this, not even when Boscha had gone to Skara’s house without their permission…

“If we mess it up with the Blights,” Her father explained bluntly. “We might not just be back where we started… We might end up going _further_ back than that!”

For a moment, Boscha stared.

“…But I didn’t START IT, _it’s not fair!_ ”

Her mother threw her hands up into the air, exasperated. “LIFE’s not fair, sweetie!” In response to this, Boscha tried yelling it wasn’t fair –why, she wasn’t sure when it obviously wouldn’t have made a difference- and as always, her parents just shrugged it aside.

“Boscha, we NEED you to do this for us…” Her mother got down to her level again, opening herself up to trust; But also becoming so vulnerable in the process… On the same standing as Boscha, Skara, Amity, or any other child. “Pretty please?”

She batted her eyes, and Boscha rolled hers. “You ALWAYS need me!”

Her father began to speak up, but her mother cut him off, no doubt relying on that same ‘friendship’ they had. “But _for real_ this time…!”

Looking into her mother’s eyes, Boscha wished she hadn’t. The way they quivered, so weakly, so desperately… Afraid for their lives, not standing up for herself like Boscha would, it…

_It made her sick_.

Why? WHY, why did her mother always have to be like this, showing all of this same ugliness inside of her as always to Boscha?! Whenever Boscha said the same to Skara, it never made a difference… And SHE was a child, was her mom too dumb to realize how futile it was?! How STUPID it all was…!?

Boscha felt like she was too good for this- Too good to apologize to Amity, too good to listen to what her dumb parents had to say, if they were really getting on their knees by this point! She was BETTER than this, wasn’t she…?

“…We’ll make it up to you!” Her father suddenly realized, a spark going into his eyes. He crossed his arms. “Whatever you want- We’ll GIVE IT to you!”

Boscha looked into HIS eyes, and now THEY were pleading too, also desperate. Yuck… But at the same time…

_Anything?_

“…I want a Penstagram Scroll.” Boscha had seen some other, older kids use them to talk to each other from anywhere, at anytime. The idea of being able to talk with Skara like that was appealing… As was the idea of maybe meeting other friends this way. Maybe then she wouldn’t be so alone at home, with such access.

Her father clapped his hands. “SURE!” He cheered. Boscha’s mother closed her eyes and nodded gratefully, thanking the Boiling Isles for this. It was both sad and pathetic, but also a little funny, how easy they were to bend to Boscha’s will.

…Testing it, just to be sure –they HAD agreed so quickly- Boscha added, “And I want it _tomorrow_.”

“ABSOLUTELY,” Her father grinned, and her mother practically cried in relief as she hugged Boscha. It was a gross feeling by this point, and Boscha squirmed- But she also made sure to bear through it anyway, if it mean getting what she wanted. Some things, it seemed… She would just have to deal with on her own.

“You’re SUCH a good daughter, you know that?” Her mother sang, stroking Boscha’s back and curling her fingers into her hair. “I love you, you know that?”

…Boscha DID know, it just didn’t mean much to her.

…

To her surprise, _Amity_ apologized first.

“I’m sorry,” She declared stiffly, bowing her head a bit. Amity seemed a bit more… stoic than usual, almost a little bit colder. If she had anything else on her mind, she didn’t want to say it- And Boscha was perfectly fine with that! After yesterday, some things were best left for nobody else to see.

Perhaps a bit too eagerly and quickly, Boscha responded likewise; Maybe it just meant a lot to her, to have somebody else apologize to her first? She couldn’t remember the first time this had happened… Unless this WAS the first time?

Regardless, given how Amity made a big deal about being a Blight, about being ‘better’ than Boscha… Only to suddenly turn around like this, it was a bit nice.

Boscha’s parents clapped in childish glee, while Amity’s nodded sternly with approval. They always seemed rather stiff, and looking between them and Amity, it was easier to see the family resemblance now.

From there on, Amity always seemed a lot stiffer around Boscha. Boscha had the slight feeling that maybe she was hiding something… Or, she actually learned to be mature, like her! That was a flattering thought, that Boscha had inspired Amity…

Regardless, they began to hang out again. Amity had made sure to lay boundaries this time, about Boscha not accessing her room or anything. After what she’d seen earlier, Boscha decided that boundaries was more than fair. Whenever she hung out with Amity, alongside Skara, it was mostly just… Amity hanging off to the side, doing her own thing and quietly regarding Boscha and Skara as they did their own thing.

Boscha didn’t really like that; She could respect boundaries, but this just seemed stand-offish. Like Amity thought she was better than them.

…But did she? She HAD apologized first, despite being a ‘superior’ Blight. Boscha couldn’t comprehend why Amity would do that, what HER family could hope to offer… Yet Amity must’ve thought it was more fair to apologize first, for making the first blow.

That had to mean something, right?

Indeed, later on Amity would ask to hang out with Boscha, rather than the other way around. At school, Amity would go over to where her and Skara sat, and eat with them; And even if she never said much, and just sort of stood off to the side, almost awkwardly at times…

…Well, it was obvious that she must’ve been endeared to Boscha, and didn’t want to admit it. And not to be arrogant… But Boscha couldn’t argue either, she thought she was a good friend to Skara! Besides, Amity was a good friend, too…

One time, Amity got Boscha some VERY nice toys! Then another time, she invited Boscha and Skara’s families to hang out on vacation, at a very nice resort! She didn’t really say much, but to Boscha… actions spoke louder than words, after all.

… _It was okay_ , she reasoned. If Amity didn’t want to say it outright, if she wasn’t comfortable with being upfront… That was _fine_ , too. Unlike SOME people, it seemed that Amity knew when to hide her emotions- Sometimes it’d seem like something was bothering her, but then she wouldn’t mention it to Boscha or Skara, even when the latter prompted her. Boscha was a bit endeared by the gesture- That Amity didn’t want to make them uncomfortable, by dumping her issues onto them, by making _her_ problems _theirs_ … Unlike other people.

Sometimes Amity would get snappy, though. Boscha would just say something that she didn’t agree with, and she’d respond almost harshly. In such scenarios, Boscha wasn’t sure how to react- But she opted not to make a big deal out of it. It… It probably wasn’t THAT important, was it, whenever Amity told Boscha that she wasn’t interested in what she had to say?

After all, Amity never told Boscha HER issues. She never dumped them onto her, why should Boscha do the same to Amity? Boscha wasn’t going to let small little moments like these bother her… Their friendship was more important after all, and obviously they were friends. Sure, Amity always seemed cold and closed-off, and oftentimes annoyed by Boscha and Skara…

But she kept hanging out with them. She kept giving gifts, inviting them to hang out, etc. Maybe she wasn’t comfortable fully opening to them about it –and Boscha RESPECTED that, she really did- but Amity truly, really did have to care…

And, sure… She was rich. Richer than either of them. But it still meant a lot to Boscha, when her parents’ disposition actually improved… Or at the very least, they began to hang around home less as they did their own thing. It actually meant a lot, when Amity invited her over- Because then Boscha had something to do, besides be at home by herself!

It meant a lot, although Boscha wouldn’t want to admit it aloud, because Amity wouldn’t do the same… But it really made her feel _wanted_.

Not that Skara didn’t do the same, of course! But it was a little staggering how much Amity had begun to change her tune. Maybe it was all from guilt from that fight back then, but as Amity even began to offer the occasional tutoring lesson, to help Boscha and Skara with homework…

Well. Boscha didn’t normally think much of school by this point. It seemed boring and pointless, and the teachers talked a lot about how it would matter, but who could trust them? They were total strangers to Boscha.

Still, it meant trouble whenever Boscha got bad grades, because it made her feel dumb sometimes… Not that it mattered, of course! She always told herself it didn’t. But she couldn’t deny that having Amity offer help, even if Boscha didn’t necessarily want or need to take it, was a gesture that meant a lot.

…Somewhere along the way, it began to dawn on Boscha that Amity had done a LOT for her and Skara. And suddenly she became self-conscious, because what had she done for Amity, in turn? Obviously Boscha always thought highly of herself, but she was also beginning to think highly of Amity; Amity, who knew how to control herself, how to set boundaries and be proper. Amity, who was mature enough to apologize and own up to her own mistakes, and let Boscha feel like she was actually in the right from time to time…

Again, Skara also did some of that- But Amity also did more. And even if she was never as warm as Skara, and would sometimes lash out at Boscha in frustration, or suddenly leave… She always came back. And Boscha could forgive Amity for this, because deep-down, she could tell that she was a good friend… Maybe even a better friend than Boscha, because even when they bothered her, she always kept coming back.

Boscha had never really had someone she’d looked up to before. Well, there WAS her mother… But they had always been on the same level since an early age, her mom made that very clear.

But Amity was cool- She wasn’t some stuck-up adult who thought herself better than Boscha... Okay, maybe she thought herself a little bit better, but she still always made a point to be Boscha’s friend, in the end! Amity was someone who’d do things for Boscha, often without warranting… She was admittedly smarter than Boscha in academics, and even though her failure in class shouldn’t have bothered her too much, it sometimes did; Which made Amity all the more impressive. Obviously it was still senseless work, but Amity cleared through it like it wasn’t.

Amity also wasn’t one to dump her issues onto Boscha and Skara. And sure, she had times where she wouldn’t open up about things to Boscha… But after her past experiences, was being completely truthful, really that big a deal? Even if Amity had things she’d never say to her and Skara, what of it? And even if she sometimes reminded the two that she was above them as a Blight… Well, Boscha had seen many other adults espouse the same superiority, only for none to show the same subdued friendliness as Amity.

It… kind of made Boscha want to get to know Amity more, to be honest. Not that she COULD, of course, she had boundaries to respect and vice-versa… But still, being so close yet so far from Amity, Boscha couldn’t help but admire from afar. Yeah, they had their occasional disagreement where they never openly apologized, but Amity always came back; And so Boscha would come back, too!

She’d try to be a good friend to Amity if she could be, and try protecting her from people who bothered her at least; Like that Half-a-Witch Willow, who sometimes tried pestering Amity! Boscha could tell Amity was bothered by that girl, and so she always made sure to drive Willow away by making it clear that she wasn’t good enough for anyone in the group. Just for good measure, she’d remind Willow of her own inabilities as a Witch.

It was harsh, but fair; And most importantly, true! And seeing Willow look so sad and desperate, so pleading to Amity… It kind of disgusted Boscha, because it reminded her of her mother; That same, predictable tactic of the pity-play. Of asking someone to share in their pain, to alleviate it… And for what?

What would people like Willow, or Boscha’s mother, give in return? Friends had to justify themselves and pay each other back, Amity taught her that much! To Boscha, someone that obviously needy clearly had nothing to offer in a friendship, so it was best to keep them away; And MAKE them stay away. Even if that necessitated a harsh comment, and perhaps some out-of-the-way bullying, just to leave no room for doubt.

It reminded Boscha of what her father had to say about a homeless person once, about how if you keep giving things to them when they ask, they get overly-reliant and just keep taking, like a parasite! At the time the sentiment seemed overly-harsh to her, and sometimes Boscha had doubts as to what her father REALLY knew… But seeing people like Willow or her mother, she was better able to understand.

Her parents weren’t _completely_ worthless, even if they were… _unreliable_.

Sometimes you could only afford to take care of yourself, and those actually close to you! Boscha couldn’t just fix EVERYone’s problem, she wasn’t some charity… If someone wanted to fix their issue of loneliness or whatever, they’d better have something to pay for it!

And, this applied to Boscha herself as well. Because amidst her defense of Amity, she knew that even if part of it was from her own experiences… It was also for Amity, as well. Because after all, Boscha was lower than her in social standing… She had to do SOMETHING for the Blight. She had to justify her friendship to the girl, and make up for it by being mature enough for Amity, by being _good_ enough- Maybe even among the best, if need be. Amity had done so much for her… Boscha didn’t want to just take and become a parasite like her mother, but give as well! Give, to this stand-offish girl that while cold… Clearly, always _cared_.

Because why else would she hang out with her and Skara?


	2. Chapter 2

Boscha had made another close friend.

Her name was Amelia. She had green hair and was taller than most, and almost a little lanky. Still, she was good company, like Skara and Amity, and quickly joined their friend-group after both parties had mutually tested the waters with each other.

The three of them had been playing at the sand pit in the slayground, when a ball had come through and demolished the castles they had been working on… Well, the castles Boscha and Skara had been working on, Amity was mostly off doing her own thing, absent-mindedly drawing in the sand. Needless to say, the girls were irritated when all of their work had been destroyed and sand splashed into their hair; Amity looked frustrated in particular, and so Boscha had to defend her.

“What was THAT about,” She began to complain, when the girl-to-be-known-as-Amelia came over. She looked genuinely remorseful, but so did a lot of people.

“SORRY, I didn’t mean to,” She insisted. “I was just playing ball and got carried away!”

Boscha looked over at Skara and Amity, the former of whom was spitting out sand. “I’m SURE you did,” She noted coldly. Amelia winced a little.

If Amity had anything else to say, she didn’t- She just turned her head and went back to what she was doing, so Boscha figured she’d gotten over it; Not to brag, but she felt like she could read the stone-faced girl’s feelings better than most…!

“…What’s your name?” Boscha inquired, curious- Amity no longer seemed actively hostile to Amelia by this point. In response, Amelia introduced herself, and so did the others- Well, Boscha had to introduce Amity, but still!

She’d never really played with a ball before, though she’d seen some other kids do it before. Boscha had never been one to think much of it, but there was also no denying that her sand castle had been destroyed, and she didn’t feel like putting in the effort of rebuilding it. Sure, it bothered her to see it gone, but…

Boscha swept the thought aside, because it didn’t matter- It was just a dumb, child thing anyway. What was more important was that Amelia seemed sorry, and Boscha WAS curious… So now seemed as good a time as any, to give this new hobby a try!

Amelia was eager when Boscha asked if she could join, learn a thing or two. Skara followed immediately afterwards, while Amity just watched from afar. To Boscha’s surprise, what was just supposed to be a passing fancy quickly became a lot of fun to her, for some reason- She wasn’t sure why, it just WAS. Her and Amelia quickly got good at it, kicking the ball around and maneuvering past one another; It was a way to play that was thrilling and really made Boscha think, like she was working hard… And that actual effort applied and paid off, unlike in school and homework!

Skara wasn’t as impressed, but still had plenty of fun! And to Boscha’s delight… Amity also joined, eventually! As always, SHE ended up being the best, quickly outclassing Amelia even though the latter had been playing ball for much longer. What really got to Boscha, though, was seeing Amity’s stiffness actually begin to loosen up…

She’d always wanted Amity to come over and hang out more actively, but of course she also had to mind Amity’s own status and desire for space. To see Amity willingly go over, and get up close with Boscha and the rest, actively interacting –even without words- was a sudden yet welcome change to Boscha, and it felt like she was seeing a side of Amity she’d never seen before… Almost one she was being trusted with.

_Mind your boundaries, Boscha,_ she had warned herself then. But at the same time…

By the end of the day, Amity was actually… _smiling_ , which was such a rare sight that Boscha found it almost beautiful. When the day was over and it was time to head back, Amity, sweating and panting, nodded.

“Thanks, Amelia. That was… _fun_ ,” She quietly admitted. Boscha beamed at the sight. “…Anyway, I have to go, I’ve got to study for the quiz later on this week.”

Dang, that girl was always so studious! Nothing seemed to slow her own, it was honestly impressive and Boscha wished she could be more like Amity! Even as Amity went off, she turned to Amelia and nodded as she immediately made a decision;

Amelia HAD to be a friend! She wasn’t just nice to hang out with, she actually made Amity _smile_ by introducing her to this new hobby! And, the same could be said for Boscha as well… She’d never cared much for sports before, but it was clear it was only due to a lack of exposure. This girl Amelia had done a LOT in just this one day… She made Amity want to hang around closer and participate more, to smile… And she made Boscha have fun in a new way that felt genuinely refreshing to her!

Amelia HAD to hang out with her! And she did… Amelia was eager to join Boscha, Skara, and Amity, and from there the four regularly hung out. She began giving them pointers on how to play various ball-based sports- Amelia was experienced in her hobby and admitted that she wanted to become a top Grudgby player, although her parents thought it safer to pursue a career in the Plant Coven for now.

Boscha liked Amelia- She was a faithful, dependable girl who knew how to act quickly and decisively, and could follow commands and orders to a T. Because obviously… Amity took the role as team captain, often leading the charge during games, while Boscha, Amelia, and sometimes Skara followed. They ended up getting into games with other kids, even, and Amity proved to be a brilliant player; Faster and more agile than everyone else, and always knowing exactly what to do!

Boscha and Amelia would trust in Amity, and she’d reward their faith with victory! Before long, what started off as a passing fancy quickly evolved into a genuine hobby… Perhaps Boscha’s main interest, even, as the three joined the school’s Little Leeches in Grudgby! Yeah, Grudgby was definitely a lot more intense, and rough-and-tumble than other sports, which for Boscha, who had just gotten into the idea of being an athlete, was sudden…

But Amity REALLY seemed to like it, as did Amelia- And not just those two, but Boscha as well! There was something about the adrenaline of it all, of moving quick and fast… Of outpacing everyone else, of being able to immediately anticipate others’ moves and react, and get instant results for every decision you made! For Boscha, it wasn’t just fun, it was purposeful- Something competitive, something rewarding!

Because the thing about Grudgby was- She was ALWAYS up against other players! Always competing, always needing to see who was better, who was smarter, who was stronger or faster, or the better team-player! It felt like Boscha was actively _proving_ herself at something, instead of just passively enjoying stuff! There was always a thrill at beating someone in a game, knowing she outclassed them, knowing Boscha had EARNED a victory, rightfully, over another person- And how much that meant to Boscha, what that said about her!

Even when she lost, Boscha felt the desire to get better, to train for a rematch. There was always the chance, that DRIVE to get better, to do better! Because as Boscha defeated more and more players underneath Amity’s leadership, the more convinced she became that she really WAS someone good, someone worthy even!

I mean, of COURSE she was worthy! Boscha had always been smarter and more mature than most! But this was the kind of game that made it inarguably clear which person was better than the other… A game that left no room for doubt, how great Boscha was!

And everybody knew, all right! Because whenever their team scored, the three would get cheered, celebrated, and honored! Complete and total strangers who knew nothing of them, say only what they needed to know- That these girls were powerful witches in their own right, not necessarily in magic –even if past the Little Leech days, spells were utilized- but in determination, confidence, resolve…

It all made Boscha feel powerful- To beat others, to be cheered upon by others… To be regarded as great, and actually _recognized_ for once! This wasn’t school, it was something she could actually be good at, enjoy, and be _rewarded_ for!

It was… an addicting feeling, honestly. It made Boscha feel like she actually mattered, that she really WAS her own person… And whenever she saw her parents occasionally appear to offer support, even if it lowkey cringed her to see her mother?

Well, Boscha had always known that there was little difference between adults and children, besides age and the apparent façade of maturity. Adults were just like kids… But that meant that kids were like adults… That Boscha was like her parents.

Or, was- But not _anymore_.

She wasn’t desperate for status based on meaningless wealth- Boscha was doing something that required REAL strength, something with genuine passion and power involved! No lazily sitting back, nodding and smiling and pretending to be friends with other people… You just fought viscerally, and took what you wanted! Grudgby was _honest_ for Boscha, and it made her feel great…!

…

It really came as a shock, then, when Amity left.

It’d really hurt Boscha, at first… moreso than all of the internal bleeding from THAT incident, but regardless.

Grudgby was something she’d embraced, partly because it let her get to see a side of Amity she’d never seen; A side of Amity that was happy, smiling, and actively talking to her teammates! Actually engaging with them, trusting them with tactics and maneuvers, being able to depend on them to help… It was an opportunity for Boscha to prove herself as someone _reliable_ for Amity, the girl who’d given so much for her!

Plus, it didn’t hurt to just be AROUND her, either!

Amity led them to victory. It was the Island Championship, and they’d taken on multiple schools and crushed them… And in turn, the three of them (and Skara, their reserve player) got adulation from fans and even _adults_ , who outright admitted to just how amazing these girls were! Amity, Boscha, and Amelia were chosen as champions, entrusted even, to represent Hexside; That this sort of decision made it clear that they were considered the best, and that they had expectations to live up to!

It was a genuine honor to be entrusted like this; And trusted in a way that left room for Boscha, unlike her mother and her incessant rants and secrets! People looked up to her, but they also respected Boscha as someone stronger than her, and not an equal they could drag down to their level. It was a position at the top, one that had the benefits of admiration, while still far from all of the other ugly stuff.

Plus, it all made Boscha actually _dream_ for once… Because before Grudgby, she’d never actively dreamed for things. Sure, she wanted her parents to leave her alone, she wanted to hang out with her friends, she wanted to have a decent life when it was all over….

But Boscha never had something she actively _desired_. Something not truly needed, but she wanted it anyway because… Because for once, something MEANT that much to her! That she could actually invest emotions in it, and not necessarily be betrayed when she did!

Something not a necessity, because everybody did stuff they needed to. Oh, no, it was something she CHOSE for herself… And so it was _her_. It wasn’t just being please and getting through the day, it was a purpose that let Boscha ascend beyond the monotonous existence she had, made her feel like pursuing something instead of just being generally content and bored! Like she could put WORK into stuff, and it might pay back…!

…So that’s why it crushed her, when Amity quit.

The three of them had just won- They’d won the Island Championship and beaten Glandus! It was grueling and genuinely painful, and many times Boscha stomped through real injuries and broken limbs… But it was _worth it_ , and made her feel alive! It made her feel EARNED…

So why did Amity leave?

Why did she suddenly announce, when the celebration was over, that not only was she stepping down as team captain… But she was also quitting Grudgby, _permanently?!_

It confused Boscha- Bothered her more than she’d like to admit. Didn’t Grudgby make Amity happy, didn’t it make her want to hang out with the others more!? Not that she was OBLIGATED to, but…

Boscha felt frustrated for a moment. She wanted to ASK, but she also didn’t want to overstep Amity’s boundaries, and something was clearly on her mind. There wasn’t anything she could’ve done to fix it, or else Amity would’ve mentioned it.

Because if Amity couldn’t rectify the situation, then she couldn’t.

And it UPSET her… But Amity made a decision, and whenever she did, that was final. They were friends, but Amity was always above Boscha, so… She never had much of a chance to change her mind, in all honesty.

So instead, Boscha kept quiet, briefly… Until one day, Amelia offered her speculation;

“I think she feels BAD for us,” She mused one day. The three of them –Boscha, Skara, Amelia- were hanging out while Amity focused on her studies, now that Grudgby Season was over. Amelia dribbled a ball thoughtfully.

Boscha frowned, wondering if she’d done something wrong; She didn’t want to drag Amity down and be pitied. “What’s THAT supposed to mean…?” She asked, and Amelia paused contemplatively before glancing over.

“…You know how Amity did that wicked-cool plant spell and scored that victory for us against Glandus, right?”

Boscha rolled her eyes, _of course she did_. “Yeah, so?”

“Well… it got us hurt.”

Obviously it had- Boscha had a few internal injuries and Amelia badly twisted her leg. It’d taken a few days and Hexside’s best Healers to fix the damage, but when it was over, it was over!

“Why would that matter?” Boscha inquired irritably. “We’ve always gotten hurt, it never stopped us from getting to victory!”

Amelia shrugged, munching on a chip. “By the other team,” She reminded Boscha, which confused her. “…But I think this is the first time Amity _hurt_ us, even if it was just by accident!”

Boscha wasn’t sure what to think.

Amity… Felt _bad?_ For hurting them?

For starters… WHY?! It was just an accident, she was guiltless! And besides, it got them that victory against Glandus, so who cared! Sure, Amelia argued that Amity felt guilt for changing the plan at the last second, and THAT’s why the both of them had gotten injured in the crossfire… But so what?

Amity had no issue demolishing others. She had no issue demolishing herself, gritting her teeth through genuine agony and wounds to win, and insisting it was fine while she quietly mended to herself, alone! She could always handle an injury better than any of them…

Not that the three were any slouches, either! For a moment, Boscha felt a pang of guilt and fear… Had she let it bother her too much? Everytime she’d gotten hurt, did she express too much pain over it, expose too much weakness?

Had Amity felt bad for her, and quit Grudgby… Was Boscha responsible for holding someone back, just for playing –unintentionally- the pity card?!

She suddenly felt horrible. What kind of friend was she, holding Amity back, asking her to care for her… When Amity had already done so much, had already trusted in them countless times to carry out her brutal yet brilliant plans, trusted them to help her win on behalf of Hexside and the Blight name!

Did Boscha _betray_ that trust?

She shook her head. “Th-That’s DUMB, she’d know better than to let it bother her!” She insisted. Amelia shrugged, sighing as she shook her head.

“Well, I’D ask her, but obviously…” She let the thought finish itself. Amity had never been one to open up about her intentions or plans; She was always enigmatic like that. The only exception was on the Grudgby field, where communication was key… But apparently not anymore.

It… frustrated Boscha, more than she’d like to admit, about how Amity wouldn’t talk to them, and how they couldn’t do the same. Obviously that’s how friends, especially ones on different social standings, were supposed to interact; And it reassured Boscha whenever she had to harshly reprimand the others on something… It reminded her that she wasn’t a _bad_ person, after all.

…But at the same time, if this was true- She HAD to tell Amity that it was fine and okay, that Boscha would gladly break a limb for her! That it wasn’t her fault… Why would it be? Obviously she needed to be subtle and professional about how she aired this sentiment and support, and Boscha was afraid that being too direct would anger Amity, and drive her way… And she didn’t want to lose her even more, after losing her in Grudgby!

So, what? Just sit there, and do nothing about it? Trust in Amity’s judgment, as always…

…Well, Boscha DID trust Amity. A lot, actually, and every decision she’d made had gotten them to victory. But still…

…The thought entered her mind; Did _Amity_ trust Boscha?

It was always a fleeting fancy she’d entertained. That one day, she’d be good enough for Amity, to earn that sort of trust… But otherwise, Boscha knew her place and understood why Amity couldn’t just depend on her like that, as much as she’d have liked to be truly trusted in such a way by the Blight girl.

And she DID trust her, a little, as she trusted Amelia and even Skara during Grudgby- They HAD to have trust, that was a major tenet of a good team after all! But otherwise, that was out of necessity…

...Because otherwise, if Amity wasn’t Team Captain…

Amelia looked at Boscha knowingly. She’d put it together, too.

The sudden realization overwhelmed her, and Skara leaned back a bit. “Do you need some space?” She kindly offered.

Boscha- Team Captain of the Hexside Banshees?

Captain Boscha?!

The implications came flooding into her head, about what this meant… Because obviously Amity knew EXACTLY what she was doing, right?!

She was… She was trusting Boscha to lead the Hexside Banshees, in _her_ place. Trusting Boscha… to do _at least_ as good as Amity Blight.

Maybe even better? No, of course not… But would Amity like to see that?

Boscha had always fretted about not being good enough for Amity. Sure, she always hung out and invited her and the others over, but sometimes she just couldn’t shake that dumb, paranoid feeling, that deep down… _Maybe Amity didn’t like her_. That she wasn’t good enough for the girl.

Obviously, the fact that she was thinking that meant Boscha was becoming weak-willed, unstable, and desperate… And she could NOT drag down and jeopardize Amity like that, as someone she apparently trusted!

No… NO, Amity trusted her, and she couldn’t have been wrong for that! If Amity Blight thought Boscha was good enough, and up for the task- Then she was! Because if Boscha were to fail, and/or think otherwise… 

She’d be saying Amity was wrong- And she could NOT jeopardize that kind of faith, that kind of faith that suddenly meant so much to her, because someone Boscha wanted to _be_ like… Possibly felt like Boscha was able to reciprocate her. To reciprocate all the many gracious things Amity, someone greater than Boscha, had done!

Blights did not pass out such faith in others so lightly, after all.

If Amity said she was good enough… Then there could be no doubt in Boscha’s mind! She WAS good enough, and that was it- And she would make sure of it! She couldn’t fail Amity now, especially not after failing her, by getting injured like a chump at the Island Championship!

And it was sweet, too… That despite it all, it really hurt Amity THAT much, to harm her own friends? It made Boscha feel soft and warm inside, that despite it all…

Amity DID care.

And now, Boscha could too.

Amity cared so much, that she’d jeopardize something she loved so much… For _someone else_ she loved, too…

Boscha wondered if Amelia felt the enormity of what was at stake, and that Amity had also trusted her… But probably Boscha moreso, because she’d always been more her lieutenant than Amelia, alas! Someone she’d stuck around with since the very beginning…

Plus, if Boscha could prove she was good enough- And keep scoring victories, without getting injured? And show she WAS good enough for Amity?

…Maybe Amity wouldn’t have to be worried about hurting Boscha, about her being too weak… And then she could let herself join the team again. In such a scenario, Boscha would GLADLY step down…!

Skara coughed awkwardly.

“Wait, so does that mean I have to play full-time now?”

…

Ever since, Boscha lived up to expectations, all right!

She’d demolished other teams, leading Amelia by her side, alongside Skara! Eventually, they were joined by a new friend, Cat (short for Catrina)… She was a bit of a dork, and in other circumstances perhaps Boscha might not have hung out with her.

But she was also good at Grudgby, and better at it than Skara; Which also meant Skara had to be displaced back as reserve player. But as someone whose passion for the sport had never been as good as the others’, it was all fine by Skara- So see! Everyone was happy and provided for! Besides, Cat was a neat friend too and pretty cheerful in her own way. Amidst her ability to ‘provide’ for the group and vice-versa, they just… enjoyed her!

Boscha had trained extra-hard for the next Grudgby Season, and it was a bit strange acclimating to the role of leader, and no longer having to look to Amity for guidance. Boscha couldn’t deny, it was even a little scary…

But of course, she had to impress Amity. Plus, this ONE announcer had the audacity to suggest that Boscha couldn’t live up to the title of team captain, and that the Hexside Banshees might lose… So obviously she had to prove any doubters and haters wrong, too!

Haters were a thing Boscha learned to deal with, unsurprisingly. That was just inevitable; That as battles were had, some losers couldn’t handle the reality of the situation and showed poor sportsmanship! Of course, it wasn’t only other rival Grudgby players that Boscha had to contend with…

There were those in general who were jealous of her position at the top, and felt entitled towards it despite doing nothing to actually earn it! There were those who, when put back into their place by Boscha, they reacted poorly to their position… And instead of doing something about it, they just threw a tantrum and whined, hating on Boscha for being the best person she could possibly be while they were just their worst!

Honestly, Boscha couldn’t account for everyone’s problems. She wasn’t a charity! As her father said, don’t let the pity plays fool you… Focus on just YOU, and those close! People like that, they have _nothing_ to offer…

…But at the same time, Boscha wasn’t invincible either. She couldn’t let herself get complacent, because there were others also determined to win, and like her, they took their losses in stride by striving to overcome them! That mean that for all of her many defeated opponents, there were plenty that sought a rematch… She had to remain ever-vigilant, as always!

This didn’t just apply to Grudgby, either… It applied to her social life as well.

Normally, if it wasn’t Grudgby, Boscha was ‘fine’ with competitors… People who did better in Potions Class, for example, or in History. She didn’t care about those things, and they didn’t matter- She could let people have their own victories, so long as she had hers! She wasn’t a total monster and wanted to destroy EVERYONE outright…

… _But she still had enemies_.

There was this one girl, Hynelle. One time she had joined the friend group, and Boscha had let her in, carefully. She’d gotten attracted by the various posts and fame Boscha had on Penstagram, earned in-part due to her Grudgby status.

She was fine, not much else to say- But then she crossed a line with Boscha. Because one day, the group was deciding on what to do… Boscha was taking initiative as always, taking care of her girls, when Hynelle stepped up and suggested they go to the carnival instead.

…More than she’d like to admit, _it hurt_ when the others agreed with Hynelle, instead of Boscha. When they chose her, over Boscha.

And normally… Boscha would just let it be! Don’t let it bother her, it’s not that important… After all, she’d never controlled her friends’ social circles outside this particular group, they could still have lives without Boscha; She didn’t want them to become dependent, especially not towards her!

…But this was different. Boscha had worked hard to be at the top, she’d earned and justified it. Her position wasn’t just because her family was rich… It came from the sheer fact that the others trusted in her judgment, and knew she was more mature, and frankly, _better_ than them.

It spoke volumes about Boscha, that she was on top… And if she lost that position, what did it mean then? That she was becoming weak, that others couldn’t count on her? That they’d prioritize hanging out with someone else, over her…?

Boscha knew she had to fight for what she wanted. This wasn’t just a Grudgby rule, this was a rule of life. She was wary of intruders, of people who’d encroach on the ‘territory’ that she’d worked so hard to protect, and maintain; That people would think they deserved just as much, if not more, and take it from her.

And then what? Boscha would lose things she’d rightfully earned, among them respect, companionship… If she couldn’t defend her position, could she defend anything? Could she really be worthy of the trust and adulation that others put into her, or was she just fake, undeserving of it all? Maybe not even good enough for _her_ …

Boscha knew that her friends meant well. They couldn’t be as smart as her, and if she failed to earn their support back, then… maybe she deserved to lose it.

This was a test- An obstacle, and yet another challenge to overcome. Boscha had lost before, but she’d always overcome it with a victory.

This was no different.

Obviously she had to prove her own strength… But she also had to prove that Hynelle was lesser than her. She had to _punish_ Hynelle for encroaching on her territory, for thinking herself better than Boscha. If Boscha couldn’t be at the top in her own social circle, how could she inspire faith in Amelia, Cat, and Skara at Grudgby? How could she be a leader THERE, or anywhere else, for that matter?

She had to leave no room for doubt just how much better she was. So, she challenged Hynelle to a race; A race at Dead Man’s Curve, a notoriously rickety series of bridges soaring over Bonesborough, far too narrow for anyone’s comfort and lacking guard-rails in general.

Boscha had raced a few times there. Grudgby was great, but she was also a fan of sports in general… And while she wasn’t 100% sure if racing counted (did it really matter?) it was still the same concept of competition and learning to outdo someone. She’d entertained it a few times, beaten a few kids… Even gotten injured once! Luckily this wasn’t during Grudgby season… She made a point never to do the races during that time, lest she fail her role as team leader.

But Grudgby Season had already ended. And so…

Boscha had made it clear to Hynelle exactly who she thought she was, to the others; That she may have thought she was on equal standing as Boscha, but she wasn’t! She’d never even touched Grudgby in her life, and sure she did well in academics… But that didn’t REALLY matter, did it? Not when it came down to life-or-death, after all!

(Was Boscha being too intense? Who cares.)

If Hynelle thought she was good enough, she’d have to beat Boscha at Dead Man’s Curve… If Boscha won, she’d leave the friend group, simple! And if Hynelle won…

…Did it really need to be said? The implications were obvious.

Hynelle looked terrified, and had heard of what had happened at Dead Man’s Curve. Boscha half-expected her to immediately forfeit and chicken out, which would have no doubt been reassuring… But it also wouldn’t have been the challenge that perhaps she needed, to make sure she never got complacent.

In the end, Hynelle accepted. In the end, they raced on Rat-Worms.

And in the end; _Boscha_ won… Even if she fell off Dead Man’s Curve past the finish line, and broke multiple bones.

But it was fine, and perfectly acceptable! She’d injure herself for Grudgby… Same principle, really! Hynelle backed down and left, and did her own thing… And Boscha’s own friends even tended to her, making sure she was okay, apologizing for abandoning her! They could see how much it meant to her, to be on the top, to not have her position threatened... And even if Boscha still had to admonish and be cold towards them for a bit for the betrayal, well…

…They were still friends, right? Friends may have had their hiccups here or there, but if Amity’s faithfulness and trust towards Boscha had taught her anything; They always stuck together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP to the names Sarya and Clara I had for the green-haired and glasses-healer friends of Boscha respectively! But now we have canon (or at least close to canon) names by Dana Terrace herself; Amelia and Cat respectively! And for fun, I added in the personal detail that Cat is short for Catrina, to complete a name-theming I'd jokingly added in beforehand; Boscha, Skara, Amelia, Catrina, all names ending with -a! I'm pleasantly surprised I at least got the C right for Cat!


	3. Chapter 3

Boscha didn’t like Luz.

In fact, she _loathed_ the human.

Maybe it was her imagination, but it felt that the moment Luz appeared on the Boiling Isles… Everything began to go wrong, fall apart, and collapse in her life.

It was always possible that it was just a series of coincidences and fate… But really, it felt like Luz had deliberately outmaneuvered and destroyed her. Luz, this lowly human who couldn’t even do _magic_ properly… A loser…

Boscha had heard the rumors, and noticed Amity being rather off and upset that one day. She’d wondered if it was Willow –the pesky girl had followed her to the Abomination Track, after all- but otherwise she couldn’t ask. She HAD to give Amity her boundaries and respect her position, as always!

But then school shut down for a day, because of ‘maintenace’ reasons to the main hallway… And when everyone came back, _those_ two appeared.

They were called Trouble-Detectors; Named very straightforwardly for their ability to sniff out ‘trouble’, in the form of pranks, rule-breaking, etc. And they were expensive, too; So Principal Bump must’ve been serious about it!

Regardless, the Trouble-Detectors really ruined things at school for Boscha. Ordinarily she would’ve been fine skipping classes here or there, causing a prank or two, maybe engage in some light bullying on some poor loser…

But ever since those Trouble-Detectors appeared, the whole school was practically on lockdown. They constantly roamed the hallways with their long hooks, snatching whatever poor student had been caught in the act, and then dragged them back to Detention to be ‘rehabilitated’. Obviously that process only lasted for a day or two, but still; The whole hassle of being caught and put into some giant monster’s stomach like that was… _ugh_.

Not that Boscha ever had to go through it, nor did her friends; They WERE the Hexside Banshees, the top Grudgby players that scored for Hexside repeatedly and won victories! They basically had an earned immunity to certain rules because of this, a position of privilege won through broken bones, blood, and sweat. Needless to say, it said a LOT about how even someone as ancient and as much of a stick-in-the-mud as Bump thought of the girls!

Still, it was annoying seeing those Trouble-Detectors occasionally get on their trails, before Boscha would have to vouch for the others! She had some other, lesser ‘friends’ and acquaintances who got caught by them, some that her friends knew and were distraught to see get in trouble! Nothing too lasting, but it still felt like someone was breathing down their necks, and for the time-being Boscha and her gang had to be wary of what they did, _just in case_.

While not ideal, school had always been nice in its own way for Boscha, as where her Grudgby games were held, a place away from her parents, and just somewhere she could hang out with her friends and torment some lesser losers. It was basically one of her ‘lesser’ homes, and _somebody_ had jeopardized it…

It was pretty obvious who it was; A bunch of Banned Posters had sprung up at the exact same time, of what appeared to be some rando impersonating an Abomination, _for some reason_ … Boscha didn’t know the exact details, but apparently Amity REALLY did not like them, as Cat once brought up the subject and she deeply scowled. Cat of course backed away for this, and Boscha made a note of her new enemy.

What was also interesting was that according to Amelia, Half-a-Witch Willow had moved from the Abomination Track, to _her_ Plant Track! It all seemed too coincidental, so as retribution Boscha and her gang made sure to prank Willow and remind her _just_ of what they thought of her. Amity wasn’t around, but Boscha was sure she’d approve; She could tell from the way she never spoke out against it, when usually she’d just roll her eyes whenever Boscha tormented someone else.

But then came the Covention Incident…

Boscha had attended it alongside her friends to explore possible career paths involving Grudgby. Amity had gone off to do her own thing, and Boscha gave her that space… But somewhere along the way, she heard Amity was challenging someone to a Witch’s Duel, and of course she’d have to watch! Sure, Amity never attended a single Grudgby game ever since she quit, not even as an audience member… But the fact that she entrusted Boscha spoke volumes. If she could support her in her own, quiet way, well then Boscha would do it HER way- In the stands!

Amity’s opponent turned out to be a human, of all beings; Which baffled Boscha, because humans can’t do magic…? What Amity was doing challenging this rando loser was beyond her, but she was sure she had her reasons, and in general it’d be a lot of fun seeing Amity crush someone into oblivion! Things had turned out well, _and then they didn’t_ , when Amity had been exposed as a _cheater_ …

At first, Boscha wasn’t sure what to make of the situation –thought even without that Power Glyph, Amity would’ve won _for sure_ \- but Amity insisted that she didn’t know! So Boscha put that trust in her, and figured it had to have been some slanderous framing by that Owl Lady…

Long story short, the Owl Lady got into a vicious duel with Amity’s tutor, the Head Witch of the Emperor’s Coven, and Boscha had to scram to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. She wasn’t really able to contact Amity afterwards, to make sure she was okay… Obviously she had a LOT to deal with, her reputation being messed with like that! And Boscha, well…

For anyone at school who even dared mention the incident, or even suggest that Amity cheated… Well, Boscha and her friends risked retribution by the Trouble-Detectors to punish them, _brutally_. Amity seemed even MORE cold and distant after the Covention Incident, and Boscha felt resentment towards the human for her hand in the whole mess; Yet another example of a loser, trying to make themselves feel good by slandering the best! Of course, this was crossing a _special_ line…

When Amity finally contacted them again, inviting everyone over to a Moonlight Conjuring; Well, Boscha made it clear to her friends to never mention the Covention Incident. And otherwise, things went smoothly… Up until the Moonlight Conjuring failed to animate a doll, but _it didn’t matter_. Boscha didn’t care, it… wasn’t important. Sure, it possibly reflected on her own attunement with Amity, and THAT mattered, and she didn’t want the girl to think that Boscha didn’t like her back or anything, but….

_Whatever_.

Boscha left Amity to collect herself, making sure not to bother her… And then found Penstagram posts, various photos of Half-a-Witch Willow and Luz the Human, that girl who’d humiliated Amity, having animated a house and caused chaos that same night!

(There was also some other kid named Augustus, Skara found it out later through her friend Bo)

And, obviously Boscha was in disbelief, as was Amity, who came over to check it out… Because there was NO WAY Willow was that strong, not when she’d always messed up so much! Barely manifesting her magic…

But then Amelia offered her input, noting that when Willow joined the Plant Track, her skill and talent in their classes together was honestly _astonishing_ … Which, Boscha was also doubtful of. Mostly though, she was fixated on the fact that this random human loser, and Half-a-Witch, and some other kid… managed to animate an _entire house_ , when Boscha and her friends couldn’t even move a doll!

…But the Moonlight Conjuring didn’t matter anyway, right? It didn’t mean anything to Boscha, it was just… What it REALLY meant was that someone in their friend group didn’t trust in the others enough, probably! Of course, Boscha wasn’t willing to believe there was more trust amongst some losers, than among her own trusted friends… And concerningly, she was worried that perhaps Amity realized this, and felt _betrayed_ by the others?

Boscha couldn’t let Amity think that… She didn’t want to break that trust, after everything Amity had done for her! She suggested they redo the Moonlight Conjuring, to prove a point… But then Amity suddenly _snapped_ , and told them all to leave.

So they did.

…Boscha wasn’t sure WHAT was on her mind –more so than she already was- but no doubt, Half-a-Witch and Luz were doing some sort of… underhanded shenanigans of sorts, getting into Amity’s head, no doubt plotting to tear her down and her reputation! To make her think lesser of herself, when Amity was MORE than those fools… She was everything, she meant a lot and WAS a lot…

…To Boscha, especially…

Amity could easily deal with such losers on her own, but she also deserved better than to waste her time with them! No, Boscha needed to prove that she and the others didn’t doubt in her ability, to make up for their failure in the Moonlight Conjuring… So when Amity needed space again, she couldn’t blame her, not that Boscha ever would. Instead, she noticed Luz out selling weird garbage that weird Owl Lady, and an admittedly cute pet. Boscha made a point of reminding Luz that she was lesser, and then went on her way…

…But obviously she hadn’t gone far enough, because then Luz came out of nowhere, and challenged Boscha over leadership of her friend group (alongside this one kid who was auditioning to join but ultimately failed)! Boscha had gone complacent, and now Luz had gotten in over her foolish head that a magic-less human like _her_ could challenge the Captain of the Hexside Banshees!

And if someone as lowly as a human was getting in over her head, then was Boscha actually becoming too complacent? No, it was likely the human was just supremely stupid… But for a terrifying moment, she actually took attention from Boscha’s friends away from her, leading the group on causing mayhem and chaos across Bonesborough!

Boscha was willing to be merciful, to remind Luz more peacefully what her place was… But she ended up crossing a line THERE, so she had to challenge the human to a race at Dead Man’s Curve- Just like she did with Hynelle! The situation was all too reminiscent, and for a moment Boscha was afraid she’d make a mistake where she once won…

But in the end, it all turned out well! Boscha beat Luz in the race, although Luz fell and destroyed the Treasure Shack in the process… But it _didn’t matter_ , because Boscha’s friends regained their senses and saw Luz for what she REALLY was –an utter loser and a weakling- and with Boscha in lead, they chased her away…!

(For some reason, Luz also ran on all-fours at various points… Boscha wasn’t sure if it was a human thing or not.)

Then Luz got her Owl Lady teacher to switch Boscha and her friends’ bodies with a bunch of OTHER people nearby, including some irritable grannies that hated teenagers like them (the feeling was mutual), some Emperor’s Guards… and even Lilith, Amity’s tutor! It was a confusing, disorienting mess that happened and not one Boscha wanted to look back on- _So she didn’t_. After the initial chaos, Lilith brought everything back to normal… And with it all solved, Boscha figured she could always admonish the others, later, for briefly getting swayed by an impostor like they did with Hynelle.

Boscha thought that was the last she’d see of Luz… Though, there was that ONE time her pet ended up publishing this REALLY good book called Ruler’s Reach, which Boscha and her friends were a fan of! Maybe they misjudged the pet, but either way they gave him the benefit of the doubt and worshipped King…

…Up until he stood them up by never releasing the sequel, leaving the series on a one-book cliffhanger. Amelia was _crushed_ , and never forgave, nor forgot. What was honestly weird was that during one of his events, King was actually rejected by Luz… Luz, that utter loser, who rejected a famous author like that!? Honestly, she’d just proven herself to be even more of a loser, or _Luz-er_ (hah)… Sure, King ended up being a loser like her after all, but still.

Otherwise, that was the last Boscha had seen of Luz- Up until the next semester, when…

It was terrifying, honestly. Boscha had only remembered being attacked by some slimy, eel-like creature… It was later identified as a Greater Basilisk, but the way it just _casually_ swallowed her fire-ball, causing Boscha to feel drained and exhausted, like nothing _… It_ …

No. No, she didn’t want to think about it! Nor did she want to think about the claims, that Luz had beaten the Greater Basilisk, when not even Amity could… Obviously that was a lie, right? But then Amity herself confirmed it, and before Boscha could ask more, she closed herself off.

…Boscha couldn’t blame her. No doubt Amity felt like she was being one-upped by this ‘Luz’, and it was infuriating Boscha to see this lowly human bother her friend like that! How was she even attending Hexside, she thought that magic was impossible for humans?! Regardless, Amity was due for a comeback, to show how much BETTER she was than Luz… In the meantime, Boscha offered to show Luz her place, but Amity explicitly declined.

It was probably so Amity herself could get revenge, and that made sense- She deserved this more than anyone else, after the Covention Incident! But then shortly afterwards, she also forbid Boscha and the others from bullying Half-a-Witch, which was a bit weird… But whatever, Amity probably knew what she was doing! It’s not like Boscha cared about Half-a-Witch anyway; She had BETTER things to focus on, like the upcoming Grudgby season, and likewise Amity probably knew this and wanted Boscha to focus on living up to her expectations! Well, she would provide…!

… _Then came Grom_.

Amity had gone off to do her own thing… Boscha knew that she was no doubt preparing to fight Grom, _because who else would be chosen_ , but it still felt like… Like they were getting a bit more distant lately.

…No, that was silly! Amity had been hanging out with Boscha for YEARS, they were obviously friends and always would be! Her not being around in the days leading up to Grom didn’t count. And she was also bothered by that dumb Luz, so obviously she needed her space! Boscha couldn’t just expect Amity to come to her, she couldn’t just cling to the girl like some needy parasite… Amity was her OWN person, and Boscha needed to respect that!

And so she did! While Boscha had her faith in Amity, she and her other friends made their arrangements. Cat ended up getting a date with some kid named Shigechi, who looked like a spiky fruit… Well, Boscha wouldn’t question her friend’s tastes! Skara was also hopeful in some other, particular kid asking her out to Grom… So that left Boscha and Amelia, and obviously those two, as lasting players on the Grudgby team, couldn’t just NOT have dates while even actual losers did… So naturally, Boscha and Amelia went out together!

…THAT WAS THE PLAN, but then Boscha got late because her parents were unreliable _as always_ , and this was particularly irritating because of how much Grom meant to her as an important dance; Not to mention, Amity had been announced as the champion to fight Grom! And after her previous losses, she deserved support by Boscha and the others, and Boscha could NOT leave her hanging…!

…Well, she DID. Not entirely, Boscha still arrived, albeit late… So late, that Amity had already _destroyed_ Grom, which wasn’t much of a surprise to Boscha! With or without her, the Blight girl would always perform beyond expectations and succeed…!

…But what really baffled her, was when she looked over, and saw Amity hanging out with _the human_ … And _Half-a-Witch Willow_ , and Gus?!?

For a while, it bothered Boscha. She didn’t WANT it to, but it still did.

Why was AMITY hanging out with such weaklings, especially two who’d tormented her so much!? Why was she near Willow, who she’d hated and had Boscha protect her from, for so many years…?! And Luz… LUZ, was she looking at Luz like… LIKE…

_No._

No, no no no!

Boscha wouldn’t think it. She wouldn’t DARE…!

Amity was always hard for her to figure out. But she always did things for a REASON, and Boscha had years of a faithful relationship and trust between the two to count on! Even if Amity was… doing things she’d _never_ do… It couldn’t really be her fault, right?

Maybe… Maybe it was Luz and Half-a-Witch! Maybe they were messing with her…?

Boscha wasn’t sure. But Amity seemed really happy, so…?

…She didn’t let it bother her. This was GROM, an important night and dance for her life! She could dwell on it later… She could ask Amity about it later, because surely Boscha had earned the right to such a single, yet important question, right?

…It was FINE, don’t let it bother her! Instead, Boscha focused on the dance, and trusted in Amity as always; Because Amity had always trusted in her, right? Instead she hung out with Amelia, who had dutifully waited… Even if she also had half-a-mind to attack King, who had appeared as co-MC with Gus. It was also weird seeing the Owl Lady there, but whatever… In the end, the lives of losers weren’t _Boscha’s_ domain. They could do their own thing so long as _she_ wasn’t bothered.

What really confused her, however, was after the dance… As her and the others began to leave, Skara and Cat had mentioned that Amity had defeated Grom, _with Luz_ , in what was a ‘spectacular dance number’ or whatever…

And THEN Boscha couldn’t believe them, but then Skara’s date confirmed it as well! And then Boscha was uncertain, looking back at Amity, whom Luz had left to do who-knows-what… Amity, looking HAPPY, standing beside her less-than-happy older siblings…

… _And Boscha didn’t get it_.

WHAT was going on?!?!

Why… why was Amity hanging out with… LUZ, of all people, and looking happier with _her_ than she ever did with Boscha and the others?!?

Luz… LUZ, who had challenged Boscha, but more importantly humiliated Amity and made her unhappy… Why was AMITY with her, was she being brainwashed, was she… was she…

…It was a dreadful thought that entered Boscha’s head, but…

… _What if Amity was going soft?_

…NO, that wasn’t possible, i-it couldn’t be! Not after all these years…

Cat clarified that Amity seemed to REALLY enjoy her time with Luz, as if _that_ wasn’t already obvious, _why mention what we already know Cat_ , and Boscha…

Boscha needed some space. She couldn’t be weak and open, right in front of her friends, and just out herself like that to them.

More importantly, she needed space because… Because she wasn’t sure if she could trust them, to see her like she was shortly afterwards; Panicking, reeling, questioning everything, and then asking herself WHY it mattered so much… Why was Boscha making such a big deal, letting this one-off incident turn her into such an _utter mess?!_

SURE, this was bad… But she could always fix it! And obviously she would, she’d do something about it, because…

…Later that night, Boscha was thinking to herself, on what could’ve happened.

She hated to admit it, but Amelia had said what she said, about Willow being strong in the Plant Track. And Boscha saw what she saw that morning… Luz, Willow, and Gus animating an entire house with THEIR bond, when Boscha and her friends couldn’t even be there for Amity to move _a doll_ …

And Luz had HELPED Amity destroy Grometheus… Boscha didn’t like it. She didn’t want to hear it. She wanted to believe it was all a lie, and while her friends weren’t as dependable as HER…

_They weren’t literally blind_ , unlike Skara’s boyfriend (No offense). If they’d seen it, if they saw Luz and Amity actually combine their spells to utterly eviscerate Grom, when no other past champion couldn’t, then…

Boscha remembered what had happened, when Luz had almost taken control of the friend group from her.

…Oh, _no._

_She was going complacent_.

_Boscha_ had gone soft… She’d gotten too sure of herself, relaxed too readily on her laurels… And she’d gone complacent and ignorant as her own enemies, as those losers, Luz and Willow, _somehow got stronger_. She wasn’t sure how… but she couldn’t argue with it, in the end. There was no point debating the facts, just acknowledging them, and making a plan; Just like Grudgby, which, coincidentally, was about to begin next week!

She could worry about the _how_ later, what mattered was the current, undeniable situation. Willow and Luz had gotten stronger, and somehow their bond proved greater than Boscha’s with her friends, or Amity with Boscha and co…

…That was it, wasn’t it?

Boscha, letting Luz seize control of the group, for even a moment?

Boscha and her friends, failing to support Amity enough, not having enough faith and trust in her… And Amity KNOWING this, knowing why the Moonlight Conjuring failed?

_She thought she couldn’t trust Boscha_.

Boscha had FAILED her… Failed her so _badly_ , that Luz and Willow looked better. That Amity had decided that Boscha, whom she had hung out with for years… Who she trusted during Grudgby, so much that she left the title of Team Captain to her, having cared SO much for Boscha that she couldn’t ever _bear_ the idea of hurting her, even by accident, even for a mutual victory on either witch’s part…

…No. NO!

Just because Amity was giving Luz and Willow a chance… doesn’t mean that Boscha had lost hers yet!

She’d only known Luz for like a few weeks, _at best_. And Willow… Maybe Skara’s speculation was right, and her and Amity HAD been friends. But that hadn’t lasted, and it ended on a sour note while Amity and Boscha’s friendship flourished for YEARS…

All right. So maybe Amity had chosen to dance with Luz and Willow. So what? She needed her space from Boscha sometimes, they’d been hanging out for _years_.

This didn’t mean that she’d choose those two, over Boscha, right? Because right now there wasn’t a choice…

_But inevitably, there would be_ ; And if Boscha was too complacent, too soft…

The idea struck her, of Amity Blight becoming complacent, becoming weak and soft… Of her being exposed to Luz and Willow and absorbing their toxicity, letting them latch onto her and drag her down to their level… Away from the throne she’d fought SO hard for, that Boscha knew she cared about, that Boscha helped her ascend towards, that Amity had trusted Boscha to help support her towards…

…Everybody made mistakes. Even Boscha. Even… Even Amity.

_But so what?_ So what if Amity made a mistake, even with these past few mistakes on her belt she was still _by far_ the greatest witch that Boscha had ever seen! What was important was that she had made the decision to trust in others, those being Boscha and her friends… Amity trusted them in Grudgby to always have her back, to help her back up during a match!

This was just the same, wasn’t it? Especially with Grudgby Season right around the corner…

Boscha had to _be there_ for Amity… To protect her, to pay her back for all of those years of kindness and love! She had to rescue Amity, save her… Because Amity had already saved her so many times, right? Boscha wasn’t saying she was better than Amity, she would never be… But sometimes Amity needed help and even SHE acknowledged that, so why argue? Boscha had to be there for Amity… And make up for her failure at the Moonlight Conjuring.

Maybe THAT’s what this was… all just an elaborate scheme, a test by Amity; THE test to see if Boscha and her friends were worthy, after their betrayal of faith at the Moonlight Conjuring. That’s right, she just needed them to prove that they were strong enough, that they trusted in her enough and would do it all for her… Boscha and her friends would have to SCORE in Grudgby Season, and prove their worth to Amity again!

It would be a long and arduous process, but just like Grugdby it was worth it. Boscha saw Amity loud and clear; That this was a test, another challenge to overcome… One far greater than the one she had last gotten, to succeed Amity as Grudgby Captain!

Because if Boscha couldn’t prove herself better than a human and Half-a-Witch…

…Did she _really_ deserve Amity? Had she been nothing but a parasite, having never truly justified her part in the friendship?

…No- Amity trusted her once, and she would _again_. And maybe then… Maybe Amity’s doubts and rightful apprehensions would finally be assuaged, and maybe, just maybe…

She’d open up to Boscha.


	4. Chapter 4

Later that weekend, Boscha had her and her group train all-day, everyday; Which was technically only two days, but the thought was what counted.

She made it abundantly clear to her friends what was at stake here; That one way or the other, they had failed Amity in the Moonlight Conjuring, and had to prove themselves again by scoring perfectly on Grudgby Season; And that meant no room for failure, no room for doubt, no room for _anything_ except complete and utter victory!

Boscha trained her friends, all-day, brutally, even Skara- Who despite being a reserve player, still had her potential role to play… That they could not take ANY chances, that Boscha and the others had to show just how serious they were! So even though she wanted to hang out with her new boyfriend after Grom, Boscha made it clear that she could do it AFTER Grudgby Season… Or at least until they’d proven themselves and won back Amity’s trust again.

They’d trained, until even seasoned veteran Amelia was sore and questioning the point –because of course her judgment wasn’t as good as the literal team captain’s- but finally the final day of the weekend ended, and they all went home to rest.

The next day that morning, Boscha had to look herself in the mirror… She’d had her recent doubts lately, and especially NOW… Doubts on her ability to defend her position atop the friend group, doubts on her trust in Amity, doubts in Amity’s own judgment…

…But now was no longer the time for that. Boscha made sure to remind herself why exactly she was both beloved and feared, trusted and heralded as THE Grudgby Champion… That for all of her mess-ups, she HAD overcome them in the past, and would do it now! That she was talented, a star… And that any haters, any doubt from others not amongst her friends, was just typical of her success!

Because if Boscha wanted to win, she HAD to believe in herself. Because after all… She was Team Captain _for a reason_.

And as she made her way to school, various people along the path made those reasons clear, expressing support and utter adoration… Because why else would they, if Boscha was not amazing? If she wasn’t worthy, if she wasn’t practically the best at Grudgby, sans Amity herself? She’d gotten to the top for a reason. Even if she fell, Boscha could always take back her position.

…Which was why it was _especially_ imperative to do so, when nobody at school welcomed her. Nobody, but her faithful teammates…

Because of _Willow_ \- Because somehow, everybody at school was being duped into prioritizing HER, over Boscha… While Willow was out making plants that looked like people’s faces –which seemed pretty tacky and lame, and honestly what was the point of such a thing?- apparently everyone had been so impressed… so _wowed_ by the numb novelty of such a stunt, that they forgot about Boscha.

They forgot about Grudgby Season, period.

And, despite herself, despite her previous efforts to remind herself why she’d gotten where she was… That no, even if she made mistakes she wasn’t some pathetic loser…

Boscha _panicked_ \- She panicked, briefly.

Because this situation had gotten worse… FAR worse than she could’ve ever imagined. It was one thing to lose Amity’s affection, but Boscha was certain she could win it back, because obviously Half-a-Witch couldn’t just erase what had been _years_ of friendship…

But making everyone at Hexside forget about _Grudgby Season?_ The one thing she could actually agree over, with just about anyone, even the losers who sometimes cheered her on amongst the stands?

Grudgby was EVERYTHING to Boscha, and it should’ve been at least as much to everyone else at Hexside! That’s how it had always been, right? But somewhere along the way, maybe it was just because nobody was concerned about Boscha failing, so why bother showing up…?

…But Boscha wasn’t just losing Amity’s affection.

She was losing the entire school’s. This wasn’t just a matter of a single friend, this was the matter of Boscha losing all of the hard-earned status she’d accumulated over years of injures, of blood and sweat and tears, and because of what?

Because of a few stray incidents of Willow doing something neat or cool, or novel? Compared to Boscha, who had for years prior consistently performed at the peak of Grudgby, outright risking genuine injury –and often receiving it- on behalf of Hexside, for the school’s glory?

What happened to everyone’s priorities?! Shouldn’t they be more GRATEFUL, after all of the things she’d done for them, while all they did was just sit on the side and spectate?!

No… It was because of _Half-a-Witch Willow_. At this point, Boscha knew Willow screwed up… It was one thing to take Amity’s affection away from her, or at the very least possibly jeopardize that trust; But at the same time, it wasn’t out of the question for Boscha to still… LET Willow exist, after all! Because once Amity was back, once Amity remained at the top and Boscha was sure she’d never come down again… Then sure, why not let Willow do her own thing? It didn’t disrupt Boscha or Amity’s life anymore… Heck, why _not_ let Amity interact with her, now and then? Amity knew what she was doing, maybe she could teach Willow to be more than what she’d always been! She’d done the same for Boscha, after all…

Willow could’ve just kept to her own spot. Maybe gotten her OWN victories, won her own fame in something like… The Plant Track? It wouldn’t have mattered to Boscha. People had their own lives, she wasn’t concerned about policing them like the Emperor’s Coven would! Coexistence wasn’t out of the question… Boscha didn’t need to be the best at everything, that was an unreasonable expectation.

She knew she was good at, and that was Grudgby; So like anyone else, she’d stay in her own little spot in the world and stick to it! No crossing over or anything… For once, Boscha appreciated what the Emperor’s Coven had to say, about people staying in their own lanes and minding their own business, only paying attention to what they were good at and minding the territory of one another.

But this was an _act of war_ , because it wasn’t good enough for Willow to just be happy on her own, to remain in her own place and get her own friends;

She had to steal Boscha’s territory, Boscha’s glory, Boscha’s fame… And while Boscha didn’t consider it impossible for Half-a-Witch to earn her own status, and wasn’t necessarily against the idea…

She was VERY much against Willow stealing what she’d earned, with far more pain and tears than Willow could’ve _ever_ imagined!

Willow had made the first strike, the first blow; And unlike Amity, Boscha couldn’t see Willow having the maturity to apologize for it.

So instead… She’d have to teach Willow a lesson! So be it… Just tear down her arrogance, let Willow remember her own place… And then Willow would just STAY there, and she could learn to be happy, and so could Boscha, and then EVERYONE was happy! There was no reason Willow’s happiness had to come at the cost of Boscha’s, Half-a-Witch was just being selfish and _greedy_ was all…!

Boscha calmed down- She wouldn’t let this get to her. Obviously it was BAD and needed immediate fixing, but there was no point in overreacting to the situation. Best to just get it over with, and remember who she was, and not let some loser shake her so badly… No need to be so emotional.

And she was right, for a moment… Boscha passed by, let off one snide remark, and instantly Willow’s confidence wilted as all attention shifted back to her! See, that was easy…

Almost too easy.

Boscha wasn’t sure WHY… But she’d seen it happen, and so did her friends. It was indisputable, but…

Amity appeared, and before Boscha could react with positivity, before she could coolly regard her friend and reassure her that she was going to continue the legacy the Blight had left behind in the Hexside Banshees…

Amity vouched for Willow; And just that, Boscha could’ve perhaps lived with. But then she suddenly started talking unlike herself, like she was a different person… Saying that she no longer cared for status, when she always HAD… That Amity no longer cared about crushing her competiton, when she always HAD…

And implying that Boscha wasn’t mature. That Boscha, somehow, wasn’t grown-up.

… _And that hurt_.

It got to Boscha, far more than she’d like to admit, to hear her close friend, someone she looked up to, someone she trusted… And someone who’d trusted her back…

…Say she wasn’t _good enough_.

What had Boscha done wrong?! She didn’t understand, and couldn’t! The Moonlight Conjuring she understood perfectly clear, and even if Amity’s intentions and thoughts were always enigmatic; Boscha knew she could trust her, because how many times had Amity’s plans eluded her in Grudgby, only to turn out just fine in the end?

But this was _different_ \- This was Amity… NOT being herself. This was her being completely different, giving up on all of the things she’d worked so hard for, just… dismissing them outright? This wasn’t the Amity that Boscha had known all those years, and her standing up for Willow, over Boscha… Even though Willow had struck first, even though Boscha was just defend what was being taken from her?!

Something was very wrong.

And even as she heard other students having the audacity to snicker at her and the others from behind, as if Boscha being beneath Amity still set her miles above the rest… She realized Half-a-Witch was also joining in on the laughter, too.

Half-a-Witch Willow; Somehow, she’d done something to Amity. Boscha wasn’t sure what, but she’d MESSED with her friend… Somehow screwed up the Blight girl, caused her to shift her priorities!

Boscha had no idea when it happened… Amity had always been a distant, albeit reliable friend… But Willow had somehow gotten into Amity’s head and messed her up. Half-a-Witch was misleading her friend, guiding Amity backwards, away from everything she’d worked so hard for… And Boscha could NOT let her friend be jeopardized like this!

Willow hadn’t just won Amity’s affection… She was taking her from Boscha, completely! Reversing it all, so that Amity would choose Half-a-Witch over Boscha, when the decision came down to it… Ruining everything Amity had worked so hard to accomplish! And Boscha… Boscha couldn’t just _let it happen!_

She didn’t know what Willow did to her; But it didn’t matter. What mattered was that something had happened, and Boscha needed to do something about it; Because this wasn’t about just losing her friendship with Amity, this was about losing _everything_ that Boscha was good at, to some arrogant upstart…!

This would NOT stand…!

…

And so it didn’t.

Boscha made sure to remind Willow in History class, without Amity to defend her, how lowly she was… That was nothing to her, that to Boscha, she could just as easily take her little hairclip from her; Because if Willow was going to steal from Boscha, then it was only _fair,_ right?

But then Luz and Gus had the audacity to speak out, and act as if Boscha was in the wrong… As if Boscha wasn’t just meeting the challenge that Willow had made. And while it was no doubt sweet to see those two losers stand up to their friend, it was also unforgivable; ESPECIALLY when Gus took the hairclip back from Boscha.

Right- Because it wasn’t only Willow that was guilty here, it was Luz as well! Luz, who’d challenged her in the past and totally lost, and yet had the arrogance to think she could challenge Boscha AGAIN, even if Willow and Gus were by her side! Most importantly, this was another test to Boscha…

Because while a part of her wanted to just dismiss them as weak, she’d seen that Moonlight Conjuring. And while she had little doubt that part of the issue had been a lack of faith on Boscha and her friends’ part towards Amity…

She also felt like her own friends weren’t being trusting enough in _her_ , as well. After all, they’d been swayed, even if briefly, by Luz back then… And she knew that while they were losers, apparently those three DID care for each other…

Half-a-Witch wasn’t the only one who’d declared war here. Luz and Gus had as well… and while Boscha could’ve lived with letting them do their own thing, and maybe even grown to respect, perhaps even _befriend_ them on better terms (They HAD surprised her recently, admittedly)…

Boscha could not let it fly, the idea that these ragtag misfits somehow had a better bond between them within a few weeks, than Boscha had with HER friends over years… Because obviously, what would that say about her as a leader and Grudgby Captain, if her teammates didn’t have total, unequivocal faith in her, and vice-versa?!

Boscha needed to prove, again… Not just to Amity, not just to the school, but even to her own friends that was good enough to be on top; And more than that, she was BETTER than those losers… It wasn’t enough to just WIN, she had to make her enemies _lose_ , and utterly eradicate them.

So when Luz challenged her, unintentionally, implying that Boscha didn’t have what it took to follow the three all day, tormenting and showing them her superiority? As if Boscha was more beholden to the school and its rules, when just earlier a teacher had volunteered to be her target dummy?!

She HAD to make her message, loud and clear… And less-than-subtle, as well. Classes had never mattered to her, they’d never been something she was good at after all, and Hexside knew her forte and worth was in Grudgby; So even if it was a first to completely skip out on the entire day (rather than one-or-two classes), Boscha made sure to trail Willow and her friends. And she made sure that her own friends followed, too; Because her authority WAS absolute and they needed to respect and trust in that!

They might’ve had some reservations about dropping the trash, about the ‘Hex Me’ notes, and the scribbling on the trio’s faces… Sure, Skara said that Gus was ‘just a kid’, but he was a kid who made his decision when he could’ve just kept to his own place! HE leapt into the crossfire, Boscha wasn’t responsible for him!

And Boscha needed to make it clear she was in control; That she knew best here. She reminded her friends that she’d led them to victory in Grudgby countless times before against enemies, if they could trust her on the field then they could trust her on _this_ , right? That even if they disagreed, at the very least they were more beholden to Boscha, who’d they known for years… And not some strangers they’d only noticed for a few weeks, strangers who’d TAKEN from them when Boscha had provided!

They were uncomfortable, but they couldn’t argue. Boscha had to admit her friends weren’t perfect, but at least right now they were proving dependable. They could have their mistakes here or there, so long as they succeeded in what ACTUALLY mattered…

For a brief while, Boscha seemed to have put Willow into her place; She was literally dumping trash on the girl from the second-floor, which while definitely above Boscha’s usual torment… It was necessary, because this was an unorthodox situation and so much was at stake here!

But even covered in literal garbage, Half-a-Witch still had the audacity, to… _challenge her to a Grudgby match?!?!_

(Technically it was Luz who did it on her behalf, but Boscha figured the details weren’t that important.)

And even Boscha was shocked, because…

What did WILLOW know about Grudgby?!?! She’d never even touched a ball in her life, Boscha knew that Willow was willing to challenge her on a stage she’d been getting accustomed to, but the Grudgby Field!?

Boscha couldn’t even be mad or offended, she was just… _baffled_ by it all. She even dropped a trash can on Gus, which, _whoops_ but not really…!

Because while Willow was no doubt foolish, she couldn’t have been THAT dumb… Could she?

But Luz seemed insistent on what Willow had said… or what SHE had said, because apparently Willow was already having second-thoughts, and this was more Luz’s defiance than anything! And THAT made sense, Luz was pretty dumb and had gotten in over her head a few times… But it still surprised Boscha to see the human challenge her again, as if she didn’t remember what had happened on Dead Man’s Curve!

Maybe Luz was just doing what Boscha would do, overcoming a challenge, having a rematch….

…But then Boscha remembered that Luz had _completely_ lost at the race, and that was something Boscha was so-so at, compared to Grudgby. No, Luz hadn’t just lost her last challenge, she’d lost it completely… Gotten reckless to the point of sheer stupidity, and by that point Boscha couldn’t even take her seriously! Suddenly she wondered what she’d gotten so worried about… Had she gone a bit too far, considering how quickly Willow and Luz turned around, and resorted to desperation?

…NAH, it was important to leave no doubt as to Boscha’s superiority after the incident that morning; And in a Grudgby match…? Those losers were handing her victory over to her, and suddenly Boscha questioned why she’d gotten so scared those last few times! She’d always won, hadn’t she, when it came to a direct confrontation? Willow and Luz could try to undermine her in indirect ways, but in a _proper_ fight?

They’d always fall.

…All things considered, Boscha accepted! And she made the terms of Luz and her friends’ loss abundantly clear as well, because it wasn’t just enough for them to fail, they needed to permanently establish and accept a place beneath Boscha and her team, providing water during practice and games, and even being target practice!

THIS was perfect… The perfect chance and opportunity, and Boscha would take it! She wouldn’t let whatever gracious force had provided to her down, not after being so kind!

And it was all falling into place, and Boscha wondered- WHY had she ever been so worried?! Obviously she had to be vigilant, obviously Luz and Willow had worth as people… But in the end, it wasn’t worth as great as Boscha’s, and definitely not nearly as consistent! She hadn’t even gotten the chance to begin practice with her friends, when Luz came, and personally forfeited on behalf of Willow and Gus…

Which would’ve been laughable, but then she… actually took all of the punishment that they had, for herself?

By that point, Boscha had won, so she could let herself dwell on the grandness of the gesture. She couldn’t deny, it must’ve said a lot that this crazy human would just as quickly take all the retribution and pain her friends deserved… And for what? What could they POSSIBLY provide to Luz? Boscha almost felt bad for Luz, that she had such lame friends when she _probably_ deserved better…

… _Probably_.

But in the end, she HAD challenged Boscha, and lost! And Boscha wasn’t going to be extending any mercies anytime soon, not after what Luz had done to her, and to Amity…! She immediately began cashing in on her end of the bargain, and attacked Luz as target practice… And SURE, the others had their doubts, but she knew they’d eventually join!

After all, Luz had volunteered, what else was there to feel bad about? Don't feel bad for the loser, don't fall for pitying her, and _don't_ let her get to you nor into your head, with her pathetic ideas and weakness- Don't be impressed by her, you don't want to BE like her, never change your mind! There's a reason why Boscha has always been livid to the kind of person that Luz is, a GOOD reason... Always remember what Luz did to deserve this in the first place, because she still challenged Boscha and threatened Amity! You can't forgive someone until they've been _punished_ accordingly...

This was what TRUE victory looked like; Completely annihilating an opponent, leaving no room for a comeback! Boscha was touched by Luz’s gesture, but she also had to remind her that just gestures wasn’t going to earn her mercy- That she’d still challenged her at all to begin with, and backing out was _also_ disgraceful!

And if Willow saw what Boscha would do to Luz, who was so much braver… Would there be any doubt in her heart, that she’d never last against the girl?

That was how it was _supposed_ to be. That was how it was meant to end; Boscha at the top, with Luz and Willow directly beneath her! They’d chosen this for themselves… They could’ve had their own places in the world separately, built those from the ground-up…

But then they’d gotten too greedy. Too arrogant, even, and challenged someone they shouldn’t have. They’d struck a first blow, and Boscha had to make it clear to the world that this sort of thing was unacceptable, and to be so frivolously done if you’d immediately back away and forfeit! If you challenged Boscha, you MEANT it… And just the commitment that’d take alone was more than enough to deter any other intruders.

It should’ve been the end. The happy ending for Boscha.

… _So why did Amity step in?_

Willow had appeared to go through with the challenge, after all; But even that brief period of hesitation on her behalf proved enough to Boscha that her victory was set in stone, even if she needed to keep fighting full-force to leave no room for doubt afterwards, not after previous incidents!

But then Amity… AMITY BLIGHT, the girl that Boscha was doing this for, the girl that was being rescued from these usurpers…

Amity, who’d been Boscha’s friend for YEARS… She was choosing _them_ , over _her,_ by joining _their_ team?!?!

And for a moment, Boscha felt betrayed… Like something had gone so horribly wrong, and then she wondered what she did wrong?

Like… Amity had TRUSTED her, right??!

She’d been Amity’s friend for so long… Been by her side, faithfully followed her orders in Grudgby, taken _injuries_ for her… And when Amity stepped down, she’d trusted Boscha to succeed her, and Boscha had faithfully complied and led the Hexside Banshees to victory in her absence!

Why… Why was she choosing these RANDOM LOSERS over Boscha?!

Boscha had always known that Amity was someone who could be enigmatic, and distant. And sometimes, frustrating… But even so, she was always a _friend_ , right? She always hung around, stuck with the group… That’s what mattered in the end, right?

…She WAS Boscha’s friend, right? She’d ALWAYS been, right?

So why was she so suddenly picking Luz and Willow over her?

It made Boscha… angry, even? She didn’t want to be mad at Amity, but at the same time… She’d done SO MUCH, and she knew Amity did the same, but Boscha really DID try to make it up to her, to be worthy! Didn’t Amity see that, couldn’t she recognize this?!

Boscha had done SO much, and Amity just… _disregarded_ that!

No, maybe this was just another hidden test, right? To see how good Boscha was at Grudgby… Boscha HAD taken the challenge Amity had offered, so obviously she was just testing her, right? It should’ve been an honor for Boscha, for Amity to consider her good enough to actually fight on the Grudgby Field… That it spoke so much, that Amity was considering her like this?!?

So why did it suddenly feel like Amity _hated_ her?

Despite herself, Boscha felt lingering doubt. Fear, even… Because what if she wasn’t good enough?

It was a dumb thought, two-out-of-three of her opponents had never touched a Grudgby ball in their entire life, it should’ve been a cinch!

But… AMITY was on their team, wasn’t she? And even if Boscha knew she’d earned Amity’s trust as a successor, that she had always been good enough for THAT…

…She’d never actually gotten the position of Team Captain from the Blight girl; That it had been a gift, which meant that it was ordinarily something Boscha couldn’t have gotten for herself. A gift that she had to constantly make up for and justify, but never could, to Amity…

Boscha hadn’t earned her position as Team Captain, it was given… And it felt like Amity was taking it back from her.

…Well, if that was the case, then… th-then…

BOSCHA would just have to prove herself! She’d just have to defeat Amity’s team… It’d technically not be beating Amity, since Amity was being dragged down by a bunch of unskilled rookies and losers! But if Boscha still managed to beat Amity in some capacity, then even if Amity’s victories still far outweighed and outscored Boscha’s…

Surely it’d prove that she was good enough? That maybe it’d change Amity’s mind, that it’d remind her of all the times Boscha had followed and trusted in her during Grudgby season? Surely seeing Boscha’s skill would remind Amity that it came from her, that it came from Boscha’s years-long faith in her… And then she’d remember what such a dependable friend she was, how much more proven she was than Luz and Willow?!

And then maybe Amity would accept her back, bring Boscha back in… And then it wouldn’t even matter if Luz and Willow were still friends with Amity, if Boscha even had to put up with them! Because at least she’d know that when forced to make a decision, Amity would always choose Boscha…

Right?

And then it was scary, how the game went… How despite being utter rookies, Luz and Willow actually managed to hold up surprisingly well against Boscha and her team! And sure, they had Amity… But teamwork was a vital tenant of Grudgby, and even Amity couldn’t single-handedly carry an entire team on her own, when her opposition was three of her friends!

Either Amity’s bond with Luz and Willow was that good, BETTER than even Boscha and the others’…

…Or Boscha’s bond and trust with her friends was weaker. Maybe even _both_.

And Boscha could see exactly how strong Willow was, as Amelia had said; Her ease with summoning powerful Plant Magic that helped her maneuver! Boscha of course was always able to burn it down… But then Luz somehow turned her fire against her, and learned it, right on the fly?!

Boscha had been wondering earlier what she’d been so worried about. That in a direct confrontation, those two were nothing, but NOW… Now, Luz was nothing like she was at Dead Man’s Curve!

How much stronger had she’d gotten, while Boscha had ignored her and gotten complacent? And she’d gotten COMPLACENT, dang it, that day, when earlier she had been psyching herself up not to be! How could Boscha make such a dumb and obvious mistake, this wasn’t like her, it COULDN’T be who she was…!

Then they were tied. And suddenly Boscha felt herself panicking. Felt herself questioning everything, her bond with Amity, if Amity’s bond with some strangers was apparently stronger, and her friendship with her own teammates, if they were THIS close to losing to begin with… If Amelia and Cat were actually accepting Luz’s good sportsmanship, as if they were considering her, and…

…Well, it DIDN’T matter! They could be friends with Luz, for all she cared! So long as they prioritized Boscha more, so long as BOSCHA was on top, then she’d even be able to live with befriending the human!

She didn’t want much, Boscha wasn’t asking for much! She just… WANTED to remain on top, and she was willing to put in the work, wasn’t she?! How much did she have to justify her desires, why did she ALWAYS have to keep competing with others, it wasn’t FAIR…!

And then Boscha did something she later regretted.

It was just a simple tackle, towards Luz; Taking down an enemy player! She’d done it impersonally, and even if it WAS rather personal… It was typical, standard procedure. Not a sign of Boscha LOSING it or anything…!

But then Amity dove in. She shoved Luz out of the way, and Boscha couldn’t stop herself as she slammed into her friend, and before she knew it they were on the ground. Time was ticking, Luz was sending Willow to the final goal… Boscha was panicking, wondering what she’d DONE, she could’ve sworn she heard something snap in Amity’s leg, but…

No, no! She had to focus, she NEEDED to focus, she could make it up to Amity by winning! She ALWAYS could, and…

There! It was the Rusty Smidge… always a rather arbitrary and sometimes frustrating part of Grudgby, but Boscha was willing to embrace it for the rest of her life, and never complain of all of the previous unfair losses she’d suffered beforehand because of it… If it would just let itself be caught this ONE time, for this ONE match that _truly_ mattered…!

And Boscha HAD to forgive the Rusty Smidge for its previous problems it caused her, and even apologized for any resentment; Because at the last second, she’d caught it, and _earned_ total and absolute victory.

And it was relief for Boscha… Like an entire mountain had fallen from her shoulder, it felt like she was rising and ascending, and at that point it didn’t matter what Luz and Willow did! Let them be friend with Amity, and vice-versa! Because so long as Boscha was the closer friend to Amity… That was all she could ask for, right? Just being on top? She’d won, she could be GRACIOUS, dang it!

It should’ve been over. Boscha and her friends would’ve celebrated their victory, Amity would realize she was wrong and maybe apologize to Boscha for the second time in her life… But then they’d be FRIENDS again, and then Amity would trust her again, and really that’s all what Boscha wanted! It was so little, and yet _so much_ … But she’d put in the work, so she could finally have it all, right?

It was like Boscha had gone to the top, higher than she’d ever had before… Just so it could all come crashing down around and below her as she plummeted, falling longer and faster than before because of how high she was.

Because they’d won, Boscha and her teammates… But then the first thing they did, instead of being with their closer friend, instead of congratulating and thanking her, instead of celebrating their mutual trust and friendship that had won out in the end, and what this said about their inseparable bond…

Amelia, Cat, and Skara made their way to Willow- And without even a glance at Boscha, invited her to the Grudgby Team!

And at that moment, Boscha _froze_.

She wasn’t sure what to do… What to say.

It’d felt like reality reversed, to see her friends just… LEAVE her, when less than a moment ago she could’ve sworn their bond and friendship was impenetrable, because how else could they have won?

Just when Boscha was at her surest, and most confident… They _left_ her, and then suddenly Boscha wasn’t sure if she could believe in anything, count on anyone…

Or count on herself, because if she’d been wrong like this, to that much of an extent, then… Then…

If even at the peak of her confidence, at the top of victory, she could be WRONG, then… And SO, utterly wrong, then…

…Boscha met Willow’s eyes, and vice-versa.

They stared into one another, but Boscha didn’t see weakness on Willow’s part. She simply saw something… steadfast. Resolute. Someone who KNEW who she was, what she was good at, and was happy where she was. Even moreso than Boscha…

…Someone who even when threatened by others, was certain of her particular place in the universe, and was happy about it. And was more sure of it, and whatever bond she had with her friends, at her lowest point… than Boscha was sure of herself, even at the peak of her life.

Willow was on a completely different level than Boscha, she was…

She was BETTER than her; Miles better, leagues above, this whole time! And Boscha hadn’t known, and she’d SOMEHOW missed it, and if she was this dumb, then… Then her friendship with others, with _Amity_ , it…

Amity, who she failed. Amity, who she… betrayed?

No, because that would imply that Amity had trusted her at all to begin with. And for years Boscha was certain that she did, because why else did they hang out so much? But now… now, realizing how wrong she had been about so many things, about someone she hated, about her own friends, about a person she loved and admired…

…Boscha remembered how she wondered if Amity secretly hated her, but then dismissed it as nonsense. Surely she KNEW better than that, right?

_Right?_

Amity obviously thought her good enough… But did she really, because Boscha had never WON the position of Team Captain from her, it was yet another grace she unfairly gotten, another gift Boscha had leeched off from Amity’s goodness like a parasite, while providing nothing in return, because she was pathetic, wasn’t she?

Because if Willow could do so well on her first try, and if Boscha had never really EARNED being Team Captain… If Willow’s few-minute-long relationship with Boscha’s teammates was already stronger and more prioritized than what BOSCHA had with them over the course of years, then…

…Willow was better than Boscha. And deserved it.

…And then, the worst thing Willow did, the worst thing she could’ve done at that moment;

She rejected the position. She turned it down, and said she was fine where she was.

…At that moment, Boscha owed Willow EVERYTHING she had… Because Boscha could’ve lost it all in that moment, could’ve suffered proper retribution for what she did to Willow. Willow could’ve, SHOULD have taken the position of Team Captain from her, should’ve gotten back at Boscha for challenging HER…

But she didn’t.

And why? What could Boscha provide for her? Did Willow give such grace, such forgiveness… and what had Boscha done to earn it, to justify this kindness? Was she just taking from Willow like some PARASITE…? Leeching off of the girl’s good faith?

Or…

OR…

Willow didn’t accept that Boscha had… She didn’t accept a friendship and comradery over Boscha, or even a position over her…

…Because Willow knew that it actually meant _nothing_. And why bother putting in the effort, for something so meaningless?

Why bother putting in the work of Grudgby Captain, just to get back at BOSCHA… When Willow had clearly won, without a doubt? When Boscha had NOTHING to scare her with, to challenge her with…

She was _nothing_ to Willow, and they both knew it.

Because in the end… Willow had what she had, and was happy with it. She didn’t need to desperately claw for more, to be at the top. She just enjoyed herself, while Boscha… BOSCHA couldn’t be content. She had to keep striving to be the best, even though _what was the point_ , she was already beloved!

But was she really? Regardless, she’d wasted so much on a wild goose chase when someone like Willow knew who she was and was fine with it, and didn’t need to waste energy trying to get more. Unlike Boscha, who should’ve been happy and content… But deep down she was afraid, so SCARED that it wasn’t enough, that she wasn’t good enough, because she KNEW she was pathetic; And that she tried to change this by climbing up the social ladder, in the hopes that finally she could _live_ with herself…

… _Just like her parents_.

And then Willow just as quickly forgot, didn’t she? She immediately diverted attention to Amity… Amity, who was now unrecognizable but somehow still obviously BETTER, because her friends obviously cared for how she felt. Amity Blight, who was flustered and blushing, an utter mess at this human who had known her for only a few weeks, and yet LUZ had done in such short time more than anything Boscha had ever accomplished over YEARS, and it just..

It just…

Boscha went home that day, laid back on her bed.

And then stared at the ceiling, unmoving, unthinking, until eventually she fell asleep.

…

Amity pulled Boscha outside into the hallway, away from everyone else. There was nobody there but just the two of them.

Boscha had tried bullying Luz again the next day. Tried putting her back in her place… But mostly, she did it just to prove to Amity that she was BETTER than that girl, so that maybe Amity… Amity would pay attention to her, and at this point that was all Boscha could even ask for, right? Because that was all Boscha was sure enough she could accomplish.

And, she got her attention, all right.

“This is the LAST time I’m telling you,” Amity hissed, her eyes turning cold and venomous; Still reminiscent of that girl Boscha thought she knew, but… Still not quite the same. Like she’d lost someone, and a different Amity was staring back at her.

Did Amity change?

Or had she ALWAYS been like this?

“ _Leave Luz alone_ ,” Amity snarled, glaring daggers into Boscha, who managed not to wince, at least not externally. “And Willow, and Gus, and ANYONE ELSE for that matter. This is my FINAL warning…”

Boscha glared back, and then her face twisted into a deep frown and scowl. Disbelief, betrayal and hurt… But was it really betrayal, because did Amity actually care for her to begin with? And then she had to ask, had to know, even if it KILLED her…

“… _Why?_ ”

Amity knew EXACTLY what Boscha meant. She was always smarter than her, and knew Boscha than she did herself, or Amity… Could it mean…?

Amity exhaled, and it was like a great weight had both been lifted, or placed, onto her shoulders. Boscha couldn’t tell who she was looking at… This, this NEW girl, this utter stranger she saw… That she’d been seeing lately;

This wasn’t the Amity Blight she knew and admired, and…

“My parents.”

Boscha raised an eye. What did THEY have anything to do with this, she dimly wondered?

Amity looked Boscha back in the eye, still far more resolute than her. Boscha had gotten THAT aspect of her right, at least.

“…They _made_ us be friends.”

Boscha stared.

Amity turned around, not facing Boscha as she clutched her arms, a deep melancholy coming over her… Guilt, and for what? She felt BAD for Boscha, _why_ , if she… If she really…

“I never wanted to be your friend, Boscha.”

Amity’s face remained away from her, but her hands lowered as she tensed, her fists curling up. She felt bad about this, didn’t she? She CARED for Boscha, right, and that meant she LIKED her… Because how could you dislike a person, but still care!?

“I was _always_ friends with Willow. But they wanted me to be friends with _you,_ because of your parents.”

Boscha’s parents.

Oh.

_Of course._

Of course they were…

“They told me to cut ties with Willow, and so… I did. They told be to hang out with you, all those years… And I hung around, no matter how uncomfortable it made me, because they said so.”

Boscha glared.

“…I’m SORRY, Boscha,” Amity finally breathed, and it was something Boscha had always loved and wanted to hear again, after that first time… That Amity knew she’d hurt Boscha and made it SO clear that she felt bad about it! That it was okay for her to say it, when she’d injured Boscha and Sarya during that Island Championship, way back when.

But this… This was Boscha’s best wish, in the worst way possible.

“I shouldn’t have lied to you,” Amity turned back to look at her, genuine remorse in her eyes- Pity, maybe? Surely that translated to friendship, to love, but Boscha wasn’t sure if she could see any in those beautiful, golden eyes of Amity’s…

“But I was too scared, too weak. Too weak to be what you wanted me to be. Too weak to be honest with you, to stand up to my parents, to… _to stand up for myself,_ ”

Amity swallowed, hard. She looked she might cry, yet somehow she seemed so much stronger at the same time than Boscha had ever been. It… _It didn’t make sense_.

“And I _hurt_ you. I made you think we were friends, that beneath it all it was okay what I did to you… Because clearly I cared, but…”

Amity seemed unsure of what to say next; Was she going to say that she DID still care? Or that she didn’t…

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, to lie to you… I was just trying to survive, but that doesn’t change what I did. And as sorry as I can be, that won’t change a thing.” Amity sighed, shaking her head. She grimaced. “…I DID care enough for you, Boscha. Remember the Island Championship?”

More than anything, Boscha did.

“…We’re not FRIENDS,” Amity finally said aloud, and it was like a knife to the heart. Boscha’s body couldn’t even react to it. “…I don’t think we ever were. Maybe we could have been, under different circumstances, if we were allowed to be our own people… But I was never allowed that chance by my parents. I couldn’t be a friend with someone while just lying to them like that… And I _knew_ I was hurting you.”

Boscha stared.

“And I don’t want to hurt anyone… Even if I’m not their friend,” Amity sighed, looking up into the ceiling with her eyes closed anyway. “So even if I can’t be your friend, for what you’ve done to Willow… And obviously I’m even more to blame, I LET you do it, and _lied to you_ that it was okay…”

Amity shook her head, her face trembling.

“…I can’t keep hurting you like this. I have to leave you, Boscha… And then maybe then, you’ll stop suffering. And maybe THEN…”

Amity opened her eyes, staring back at Boscha.

“…We can ACTUALLY be friends for real.”

Then she turned around, digging her nails deeply into her palms. “But for now, I have my own friends I actually, currently have. And I have to protect and defend them… And if you can’t be okay with them, then I can’t be okay with you. I’m sorry Boscha, but I can’t be your friend if you can’t accept me for who I am…”

…But could Amity accept Boscha for who _she_ was, as loathsome as she was?

“And I want to accept you Boscha. A part of me always DID want to be your friend, truly…”

Boscha’s heart began to rise.

“…But I never could, seeing how you acted towards others. And I never could, because I could never be open, never be _honest_ with you… I couldn’t be friends with a girl while lying to her about who I was.”

Amity shook her head. “I still need to make my amends, and… _so do you_. I’m not closing the room for friendship, I’m… I know this sounds contradictory, but it’s still open. Maybe more than it was, I just…” 

She turned away from Boscha, again, hanging her head. “I’ve ALSO been a horrible friend, but if you want I can try to make it up… We can be friends for real this time, all right? But you HAVE to be okay with Luz, Willow, and Gus… And this time, I’ll be more honest with you, _I promise_.”

I promise.

“…I’ll give you time to think. But the opportunity is always open, Boscha… If it was left open for _me_ , it can be available to you as well. You can hate me if you want, I… I won’t hold it against you _, I deserve it_ , for lying to you.” Amity seemed far too at peace with this idea; Not necessarily being without Boscha, just… _despised_ by her.

Did _Boscha_ make her feel this way? It seemed so sudden of Amity, the shift from defiantly defending people like Luz and Willow… to just quietly accepting what was coming to _herself_. “Just… do what makes _you_ happy, Boscha…”

Amity glanced back awkwardly, and her eyes were… Wide, _hurt_. In pain, in agony… Like she had so many regrets, so much hesitation. That she was pitying Boscha, a sadness for someone that came without love…

…But she was open, wasn’t she?

…But it didn’t matter, did it? Because just being friends with Amity wasn’t what Boscha wanted in the end, not really.

No, what she REALLY wanted… She could never get, not anymore. Not after seeing Luz, after noticing the way Amity looked at Luz in adoration, with so much openness… Happy in a way Boscha had never made her.

Luz had done this in weeks. Boscha couldn’t do it in _years_.

What did SHE have to offer Amity, as a friend?

…Boscha didn’t deserve Amity Blight. And she never did.

“…I have to go now. I’ve still got class, but… It doesn’t have to be over. Just know that… It NEVER has to be,” Amity began, and she moved out with her hands- To grab Boscha’s, perhaps?

Disgusting- As if Boscha could… As if someone like _Boscha_ deserved to touch such an amazing person, and…

Boscha didn’t return the gesture. She just scowled even more deeply. Amity immediately understood, turned around… and then _left her_.

For good, no doubt.

Boscha exhaled through her nose, huffing. There was Amity Blight, running down the hallway, back to class… back to Luz the human…

Who she _loved._

Amity loved Luz.

… _Amity didn’t love Boscha_.

THAT was what broke her in the end; Not the fact that Boscha had never been good enough. Not the years of lying… Not the betrayal by her own friends. Not Boscha realizing that she’d been admiring someone who never existed, a façade and image in her head born of the fake face Amity put up, and Boscha’s own idealization, projections, wishes and desires…

Oh, no!

Amity not loving her back was the TRUE, final straw. That final realization, that Boscha…

_Boscha wasn’t good enough_.

Just like her parents.

Despite herself, Boscha’s legs gave way as she slid down the locker she was leanin against, curling up into a ball as her face tightened like the most arduous grip in the world. Like something was roiling up inside of her, struggling to come out after years of having never been opened, never seeing the sunlight… _Pleading_ , desperate just like her mother!

Because that’s just who Boscha was- Desperate and pathetic, just like her parents! She WAS their child, after all, no matter how much she tried to deny it.

And she’d tried so hard to be the opposite, but in the end it seemed to loop back and she was more like them, more than she had ever been, and…

She couldn’t take it. Boscha could’ve always dealt with not loving herself, so long as Amity Blight did…

_But Amity didn’t love her_.

And that’s ALL she needed to hear.

Boscha gripped her face as her entire body shuddered and vibrated, threatening to shake itself apart and fall apart into the utterly-collapsed mess she REALLY was… Boscha face tightened and curled up, as if desperately wringing out a few hot, salty tears that dribbled down the sides of her face, as her lips trembled, desperately trying to hold back the sobs as the occasional noise broke through.

Who cared if anyone saw her at this point? _None of them_ mattered… None of them mattered to Boscha, not like Amity did.

But Boscha didn’t matter to Amity… At least, not as much as Luz mattered.

And in the end, that dumb… STUPID, foolish human;

She was better than Boscha. And there was nothing Boscha could do, but blame _herself_ for this. For not being good enough.

For being so foolish, as to fall in love with a girl who never even existed. She couldn’t even BLAME Amity for this, for her own foolish heart, for her own stupid _feelings_ , for the lies the girl had been forced to tell… No, it was just Boscha at fault for believing them, for ignoring the obvious signs when Amity had so _desperately_ tried to warn her in the past. Because Boscha hadn’t cared about what Amity had to say, what she wanted, or even who she really _was_ … She was willfully ignorant, and so this was all _her_ fault, not the Blight girl’s.

How could she have a friendship with her _now_ , if she never had one to begin with?

Boscha grinded her teeth together as the hot, salty tears slithered down the sides of her face, gathered at the bottom of her chin, and finally broke free, splattering onto the front of her letterman jacket. It was a sign of her worth in Grudgby… So in essence, it was meaningless.

Just like Boscha.

Just like Boscha, and her worthless love for Amity, and…

She didn’t want to cry. She didn’t want to open up. Boscha bit down into her lip to hold it down, feeling like _garbage_ … But despite herself, despite all of her best efforts… She could _never_ hate Amity. Her mouth and heart betrayed Boscha, and it was only that single betrayal that was needed, as she uttered, shakily, in anguish and despair, with a broken heart, knowing that she’d never be heard nor reciprocated;

“… _I love you_ …”

At least she got to say it, aloud, just this once.

Even if it would never be to Amity Blight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In a twist that surprises literally nobody, the Blight Parents are responsible for traumatizing yet ANOTHER child!
> 
> Alternatively: Boscha realizes that Amity (unwillingly) played her like the cheap fiddle she always was!


End file.
